The Cleric of Wonderland
by C. M. Griffiths
Summary: The Red Queens tyranny is expelled. But an exsisting shadow replaces hers threatening all wonderland.
1. Your Presence is requested.

Disclaimer: This fanfiction is roughly based on BOTH Lewis Carols Alice in wonderland and events in American Mcgee's game Alice. All unfamiliar characters have been created by me all others are a combination of Lewis Carol and American Mcgee.  
  
The Cleric of Wonderland  
  
Chapter 1: Your presence is requested...  
  
Alice was recently tired after her ordeal with the Red Queen (after all, who can take on an evil monarch, win and not frill one's skirt) and her demise had brought joy to the peoples of all corners of wonderland. Celebrations of all kinds were being enjoyed by the trolls, the fire people and even the Mock turtles but she was missing the simplicity of human cakes and lemonade. Troll ingredients were not totally palatable to the human tongue (too much insect oil you see makes one sick).  
  
The troll village was in uproar but the familiar sound of descending chimes could not be ignored by Alice as it heralded the approach of one of her closest friends in the world. (or at least this world)  
He materialised in slowly but surely. His beaming smile and glowing yellow eyes were the first to be noticed, as their brightness was similar to the moons glow when it was on the fat. Then came his tattooed head and for a while it seemed to stop there. He closed his eyes slightly and turned his head in a full circle as if to see if anyone was watching his unusual method of approach. This was slightly shocking to Alice as she had never seen a manner of beast or man who's head was fully rotational. She calmed herself with the thought that since he had no neck yet he felt no discomfort. As the 2 were alone (or at least 1 person and one head) parts of him followed his head in to being. His tail swishing about for a moment as if suddenly realising it had been given the gift of life then slumped to the floor with the occasional sultry swish of disappointment. Finally his torso blended in and automatically connected with his head and tail of course being in the right positions as all cats are taller when they sit down and before Alice stood a seemingly complete, definitely smiling obviously mad Cheshire cat.  
  
"Very well done, Cat" she smiled clapping her hands "I've always liked that about you, you never quite know which bit will appear first!"  
"Highly amusing!" said cat sarcastically in his low but distinguished accent. The scary thing about this cat was that his tone of voice always suggested an air of suspicion and superiority. A scary combination in the small but menacing grimace of the never ending smile stretched from ear to ear.  
"I bring a message from the caterpillar, a small favour on my part since I never lower my self to the petty needs of others" He was definitely a cat. And a mad one even so.  
"He requires your presence in the great gardens next to his usual toadstool, he has knowledge about something you haven't encountered yet. I would advise you to attend, it IS important. It has something to do with the religion of wonderland and since your faith is doubtful you may wish to see him about it"  
The chiming noise repeated and he was gone in half the time it took to appear.  
  
"Oh bother!" Alice stubbornly said to herself. She did admit she did not have much faith in herself recently though. "I was looking forward to having some fun but Caterpillar is always to much in the clouds to bother about any of us here on the ground!"  
The chimes sounded once again. A floating, smiling head appeared.  
"Don't talk like that in front of him, you know he has a very short temper and little tolerance for rude young girls! You may need this." Without a sound, he faded away. And a head was replaced with a small bottle with the words "drink me" on it.  
Alice sighed and shrugged her shoulders. She picked up the small bottle and put it in her dress pocket knowing what effect the small vial would have on her physicality. Her hands crossed and one stroked her chin. Her mind thought, "Changing size is much to tiresome for a young girl. I think I'll visit him tomorrow. I'm rather tired."   
"He'll be expecting you!" the voice said from apparently no feline source.  
  
Nearby was the home of the troll elder whom she had helped from time to time and in return he had let her stay in his house whenever she was in wonderland and needed lodgings. She stood before his door, no bigger than her, covered in strange symbols of an unfamiliar alphabet and rapped sprightly on the door. A circle smoke haze appeared in the door which she knew was the wonderland equivalent of a peephole and an old man with a short white beard and a pointed red had appeared in the centre. He instantly gave a short smile at the sight he befell. "Ah, Alice! Nice to see you again." His tone changed somewhat. "Well since you're here you might as well come in, I knew you were coming so I made some tea and cakes just the way you like it!" the mist dissipated and the door opened revealing a diamond walled corridor strewn with pictures of troll relatives, a green carpet and a small flight of stairs. The problem with old age according to Alice is the loss of imagination, tolerance for little girls and courtesy. All these she had observed in wonderland and her world too. She hoped her imagination would not dwindle over time as she proceeded down the corridor in to a small room where a little dwarf of an elder sat round a table with scrumptious looking cakes and a full pot of tea.  
"I never knew why you humans like that strange liquid and those funny cake - things!" said the elder indignantly as he smoked his pipe comfortably. Alice had discovered smoking in this world was similar to her world in many ways except the smoke was always a variety of colours ranging from shining blue to fluorescent white.   
  
She poured herself a cup of the readily prepared tea into the tiny cup rested on the tiny saucer. She was glad to see the teapot was quite larger than the cups because the cups would apparently hold half a mouthful of the brown liquid per serving. She sipped the liquid expectantly and paused in thought.  
"Quite agreeable!" she said in a surprised tone.   
"So it bloody well should be!, I spend long enough conjuring it up! Genus Camilla doesn't grow in Wonderland you know, I had to find a tea tree and they don't grow very often."  
"There's no need for foul tempers, I thought it was quite nice!" explained Alice trying to ease the mood. Though chaos, confusion and nonsense was commonplace in Wonderland (and Alice sometimes) she found it gave her a headache and after recent times all she wanted right now was a restful atmosphere. She decided to change the subject to fulfil her curiosity about her recent invitation.  
(Also she thought to herself, another cup would be nice followed by a cake)  
"I recently heard of something called "the religion of wonderland", could you enlighten a young girl on the subject?" She said trying to seem innocent, and doing a good job of it.  
"Ah!" replied the elder. "You mean the Cleric."  
"The Cleric?"  
"As you already know, The Queen brought order to wonderland in a fairly miserable way. After she was expelled by you. The card guards were divided without leadership and split into sects."  
He paused for a moment to clean his pipe and add a fresh content. Alice took this opportunity to take another cup of tea and a few cakes. He showed a look of mild contempt at the sight of the cakes being took by Alice. Not for her greed, but the actual cakes themselves.  
"The Clerics existed in wonderland while she was around but no-one knew who or where they were. That's all I know I'm afraid. Now if you quite finished, it's getting late and I've created a bed for you.  
"You mean the floor?" Alice replied with suspicion. She knew there was no bed in the house big enough to fit her size and a few blankets on the soft floor was all he could manage.  
"yes!"  
"I'm not complaining, it's quite comfortable!"   
"Good, now you'll need rest for your meeting tomorrow. I'll take you some of the way in by balloon but you'll have to get to the garden yourself."  
"How did you know that ?" Alice seemed surprised that he knew so much when she knew so little.  
"A little bird told me!" the Elder said, smiling  
"A bird?"  
"On the run from a cat! Goodnight Alice."  
And then he cleared the table and proceed to bed leaving Alice to her comfortable floor.  



	2. Slight Turbulence

Chapter 2: Slight Turbulence  
  
Alice had a surprisingly peaceful nights sleep that night upon the floor. So much so she decided not to wake up until the troll pestered her the next morning. However, not many people who pestered Alice in wonderland got away with it, no. Alice usually left some form of lasting impression such as a knife wound or a razor sharp playing card imbedded in some part of the body. Unfortunately for her the morning came and she was awakened by an impatient Elder standing over her in his flying coat.  
"Wakey, Wakey Alice! You've got 10 minutes to get ready." He moaned and strolled out of the back door towards the hanger. She didn't need much time as she was sleeping in her undergarments. She slipped into her dress, fastened her leather boots, combed her hair (she was still a girl) and followed after him. (not forgetting to take her knife.)  
  
  
  
Alice had no fear of flying. However the contraption she was about to board was un-nerving to the sight. The hangar door was opened and before her was a small zeppelin with a few additions to it. The two tail fins had long sticks running down to the pilots chair. The pilot sat on a bicycle attached to a large basket where the front tire should be and the rear chain attached to a propeller for locomotion. The whole balloon was tied to the ground by sturdy looking ropes and upon the saddle with each stick in his hand was the troll Elder looking impatient.  
"Come on Alice, you haven't got all day!" he snapped with an air of authority.  
"You know how I feel about you mode of transport however reliable you claim it is!"  
"We've never had any trouble with it before!" he replied in defence.  
"What about when you took me to the fortress of doors and we were attacked by the diamond guards. They nearly shot us out of the sky!"  
"You forget we out-manoeuvred them and got away. Now, GET IN!!"  
Alice gulped and gingerly sat in the basket, pulled her knife out and rested it in her hand, blade first. If there was going to be any trouble, she wanted to be ready for it.  
"There's some playing cards in there with you, just in case!" He piped from the back as he began to peddle.  
One of the most unusual phenomenon's in wonderland was how the playing cards behaved, especially for Alice. The cards always seemed cold to her touch as if they were afraid of her as she had sliced and diced many of their bigger relatives when they were working for the red queen. Also if she threw a card at any given target, the card would become incredibly sharp as to slice through whatever it came into contact with. She decided to take the cards with her if bad degenerated into a catastrophe.   
The Elder flipped a switch on his handlebars, the ropes broke away and they began their ascent into the sky and towards their destination of the fungiferous forest.  
Alice decided not to look down during the voyage. She remembered to enter through the walls of the garden you had to be no bigger than the size of a small pin and a fall from their altitude would certainly be fatal to a person of this height. She planned to drink the potion Cat had given her before they landed so she could slip through into the garden without being noticed by the insects as she would make a delectable snack in her reduced state.  
  
Her train of thought was suddenly and sharply interrupted be a medium sized explosion to her left. The balloon veered away from it with skill and speed but by now their assailants had them in their sights.  
"What the hell was that!" she exclaimed.  
She thought to herself it couldn't be bomber insects with their explosive acorns, they were currently too big to make an effective assault.  
"Spade guards!" shouted the Elder in alarm. Trying to talk and fly at the same time was no easy task, especially when you are being fired upon.  
"They're the strongest suit next to the Hearts, the Queen didn't have as much influence over them and they're still as organised and deadly! Do something Alice!"  
Alice needed no prompting. She had already filler her pouch with cards and was taking aim at the cards on the ground. "I wonder what they're doing near the village" she thought to herself. An explosion flew close to her basket and burst into a ball of blue energy 10 feet away from the balloon.   
This was not the time for questions Alice thought and threw her hand towards the ground. Her first deal was close to the mark, It knocked the spade sceptre out of one of the guards' hands and imbedded a card in the other guards' leg.. He plucked with out with a mild wince of pain and the other retrieved his weapon and both fired simultaneously.  
The first two shots were intended to knock the pilot from his saddle but he lurched the zeppelin left where they passed under him and blew up harmlessly. Unfortunately he had positioned the balloon straight in the path of the incoming next two shots.  
"THEYRE GOING TO HIT THE BALLOON!" yelled the troll frantically pedalling with all his might.  
Alice pulled 4 cards out of the deck and threw the first two sequentially in the direction of the incoming spade projectiles. The effect was relieving as each card detonated each of its targets halfway on it's journey. She aimed her remaining two cards towards the ground where the two guards stood cursing and threw as hard as she could. Her aim was straight and true and the surprise of the guards was short lived. Each card sliced through the neck of both the cards decapitating both of them and leaving their bodies gushing blood from where their heads should have been until they dropped down and vanished in a swirl of blue light.  
  
Both Pilot and passenger breathed a sigh of relief at their victory. Alice collapsed into her basket and put her deadly deck of cards away. The Pilot of their lucky craft slowed his rate of pedalling and the zeppelin reduced speed and regained their course towards the gardens.  
"What were those two doing near the village?" inquired Alice as she felt the Elder had left out a vital piece of information he neglected to mention.  
"I don't know. The guards never do attack unless they have a good reason, or good orders" he said slightly embarrassed.  
"Well I did kill their queen so maybe they had a grudge against me. But still they're a long way from home."  
"Something for you to ponder later, we're coming up on the gardens so get ready for landing and hold on tight, I never was any good at this bit!"  



	3. Green Fingers

Chapter 3: Green fingers.  
  
The zeppelin dove towards the ground and Alice braced herself for the worst. The trick to landing this particular craft was to point towards the floor, approach it at fairly high speed and pull up sharply before you hit stopping the balloon and hovering safely. It was a difficult manoeuvre to accomplish, in fact it took great amounts of skill to accomplish it and many trolls were not so lucky to stop in time. However the Elder had much practice at doing this and landed the balloon with the loss of only a few of Alice's' nerves.  
"Well, I believe this is your stop Alice." joked the Elder. "For my sake, don't get into trouble!"  
Her only response was an innocent little smile and a mischievous wink of her deep blue eyes as he once again pedalled into the sky and back towards the village.   
Alice was standing in front of a great wall adorn with different variations of beautiful flowers and bright colours covering the green hedgerow growing from the wall. It seemed as thought the wall was futilely trying to contain this reserve of nature. There was a small hole in the wall next to her shoe no bigger than a mouse-hole. It reminded her of a mouse-hole in her skirting boards in her house where her old cat Dinah user to lie in wait nearby in the event a courageous mouse came out to look for food and suddenly pounced. Unfortunately, such happy events were just memories after the accident had consumer her house and all inside leaving her the sole survivor.  
There seemed to be a small message painted above the hole in tiny writing which at the moment she found incomprehensible and there was only one way to bring it into focus. To do this she must drink the potion given by cat.  
  
A variety of flavours poured into her mouth as she drank the liquid in the small bottle and each flavour changed with every sip from the bottle. Starting out from rich strawberry, to treacle tart to a mixture of many and then it suddenly stopped without warning.  
"Here we go!" though Alice, expectant of what was to happen.  
All of a sudden, she felt quite light headed. In fact she felt light everything as her height shot down from her usual size to a minute 3 inches high. The sensation was like being strapped to a chair and shot through a small tunnel at great speed. Alice had never fully got used to it but at least she now could read the writing above the mouse-hole.  
  
"Same way in, Same way out!"  
  
The last time Alice was in the garden, it was under control by the ants who had become militaristic under the influence of the queen and were viciously territorial and ruthless with trespassers. Now all of the ants were busy collecting fruit and grain and carrying it into their anthill. (Single file of course).  
Also the features of the garden had changed. Instead of darkened landscapes and sad looking trees, there now stood abundant flowers and wide green meadows that seemed teeming with life. She skipped sown the red, cobbled garden path until she came to a junction of different routes and a single post of apparently wood with no labels or writing say for large cracks that seemed to make a woody face.  
The post suddenly sprang to life and startled Alice as arms grew from nowhere and the face began to speak in an impatient tone.  
"Well?" The signpost asked.  
"I beg your pardon?" replied Alice, somewhat lost.  
"Where are you going or who are you looking for?" it angrily replied  
"There's no need to be rude, I'm just trying to find my way to the caterpillar."  
"Your way! Listen miss, are you rooted into the ground?"  
"No?" Alice was beginning to wonder where this was leading  
"And do you know YOUR way around the garden?" it followed.  
"Not really. It's changed quite a bit since I was last here, you see" This was true, as even the garden path was not here when the garden was here when the ants were in control.  
"Well then, you'll have to use MY WAY to get the caterpillar, wont you?"  
These words chilled Alice slightly as his tone reminded her of a similar conversation with the queen. A change of mood was definitely needed Or at least its mood.  
"Yes I require you help please, if you don't mind Mr signpost." Alice said with an air of sarcasm.  
"That's better. I am a signpost you know!"  
"Get away!"  
"No serious, anyway, caterpillars this way." His left arm stiffened suddenly pointing in the direction of a large tree. "Step through the gateway in the bark and you will come to the mushroom grove. Now off you go." His face became motionless once more with his arm still pointing.  
Alice headed in the direction, slightly offended, until the path stopped in front of a swirling vortex imbedded in the hole of the tree bark. A message above read:  
  
"You now enter the mushroom grove, no nibbling, no poaching. Eating's OK though."  
  
She stepped through the portal and was suddenly surrounded by fields of large mushrooms. Some blue, some white some orange but all definitely bigger. A path dividing the two fields winded its way up to a large yellow mushroom with a strange silhouette sitting on top of it. Apparently smoking. Alice rushed down the path, pushed her way through a patch of tall reeds and before her smoking his mind away was the caterpillar. She approached him slowly as not to alarm him. He was notoriously, abrupt and quite aggressive at times. She thought she would make the first words  
"You sent for me catt…."  
Alice did not finish her sentence before he interrupted her with one short word aggressively spoken.  
"Recital!" he blurted out and gave her a stern look.  
Alice stood on a stool sized mushroom, curtseyed and began.  
  
"How doth the little crocodile,  
Improve.."  
  
"STOP, I have changed it again. Improved, you know"   
"Obviously." Alice hated it when he did this.  
He took a long inhale of his smoke and began:  
  
"The queens demise in wonderland,  
had brought a promised change.  
And freed her slaves under her hand  
And banished al the strange.  
  
And now a life of peace ensues,  
Though really not quite sane.  
A brand new threat is recent news,   
that threatens this domain."  
  
She preferred his tale about the crocodile. But a new threat to wonderland was not to be taken lightly  
"A new threat? I thought the queen was gone? And what's this about the religion of wonderland" Alice asked, seemingly desperate.  
"Still curious I see" replied caterpillar. "The clerics of wonderland bring order in a more peaceful way than the queen did during her reign. Something is behind their seemingly peaceful ways which even I cannot see. People have been disappearing you see and you must find out what is going on before it gets too serious." His voice seemed serious and frank but did not have the feeling of imminent trouble as Alice had feared. Maybe this would be a worthwhile pursuit to keep her busy.  
"Alright, I'll poke around but where would I start. I've seen no churches here before?"  
The familiar chiming crescendo became apparent and a smiling feline made his appearance. Maybe he would shed some light Alice thought.  
"But you have seen people of the clergy. Think of appropriate titles." Said the cat  
"And games." Followed caterpillar  
"Appropriate titles and games?" She said to no-one in particular "Well let me see. Vicar? no! Father?"  
Then 2 and 2 came together and produced 4.  
"Bishop! A clergyman who plays a game! On the chessboard!"  
"It's good to see you still have some sense!" said caterpillar condescendingly.  
"How do I get there? It's quite a way from here? And I have to get back to my normal size again!" Alice weighed up all of these problems but caterpillar usually found a shortcut, and indeed he had.  
Another long puff of his opium and he blew a large smoke ring which turned into a portal on. Apparently on the other side was the land of the while chessmen, they were the civilised ones you see.  
"Cat, could you please tell the White king and queen to expect Alice?" asked caterpillar.  
The Cheshire Cats smile faded for a brief moment into a look of contempt Until both looks vanished along with their owner.  
Alice checked knife in her pouch. Although she wasn't expecting trouble in Wonderland you never know what going to happen in the next 5 minutes let alone tomorrow. She stepped through the portal and vanished leaving the caterpillar to smoke away his mind in the privacy of the mushroom grove.  
  
At least that's what he thought.   
Above them in a neighbouring tree hiding behind a small branch was s shrouded figure who was watching and listening to everything that had just transpired below with great interest. An evil grin crept across the shadowed face of the stranger. "So, it's begun?" He said to himself in a low menacing voice. "I had better tell my superiors that she has started her journey."  
A small humming noise came and went and it seemed to take the figure in a dark haze that faded away leaving no trace he was ever there.   
Except a strange feeling that made the caterpillar below shiver as If someone had just walked over his grave.  
  



	4. Darkness begins moving

Chapter 4: Darkness begins moving.  
  
The sky was dark and cloudy. The rain poured down fiercely as if it was trying to wash away the great evil shadow which was inhabiting this place and the lightning and thunder boomed out from above as if in protest (or fear). During the day time, this place was blanketed in sunlight as people admired the great building but strangely, no one entered or left it. Ever. The dark figure materialised on the long winding path curving it's way up to the large darkened cathedral as the rainwater seemed to flow down the path beneath him. He banged on the door and the thunder clapped as if synchronous to his impact upon the door and a small metal circle opened up on the face of the door which was decorated gothically with metal shapes and swirls as if to suggest a dark presence was being held behind it.   
"Yes?" a deep voice enquired  
"It is I, Konchuu, my master" replied the figure respectfully.  
A great clunking noise was heard on the opposite side of the door as it unlocked (seemingly by itself) and a inside was the service area lit dimly by a few candles but showing the alter with its silver crucifix centred over the table and two long candles on either sign (made of never melting wax so they never need replaced) and draped over the table was a purple shroud on a right angle so it pointed on wither side. A single wooden door was apparent behind and to the left of the altar. No-one would have noticed it because it mixed in with it's surroundings as if trying to hide what lied within. Dim light cracked out from beneath the door and as his dark eyes focused on it, a voice in his mind whispered to him.   
  
"Come." It seemed to say.  
  
He did as the voice ordered and found a large circular room with not a single piece of furniture save for one large chair which the light seemed to bend around, hiding the occupier. Light did not choose to shine on this person, now would he have wanted it to. The entire room was dark except for two large circles of light. One covering the chair and it's chilling occupier and one about 10 feet away shining on the stone floor, highlighting nothing.  
"Kneel before me" his mind whispered again.  
  
Konchuu stepped into the circle in front of the chair, knelt and pulled back the hood hiding his face.   
A young male of no more that 18 human years of age was revealed in the light. His hair was long and dropped down the small of his back. Also it was jet black and tied up in a ponytail that formed a curled spike at its tips. His eyes had not a single spark of humanity in them. Lifeless eyes that when looked at could reach into the back of your head and terrify every hidden corner of a persons soul and leave no room for remorse. His face was covered in various designs that resembled swirling lines which all joined up to both eyes and his mouth who's lips were a deep shade of blue. The mans was face was as pale as death itself, showing no colour as if all the blood had been drained from his body. He was a killer. He had killed before and he would kill again. He killed without any remorse and never showed any mercy. Feelings of compassion were an alien concept to him and all that mattered was the completion of the orders given to him by his master. The dark, shrouded, faceless figure in the chair before him.  
  
"I must report," he began "that the girl has met with the caterpillar and the attack on her balloon was unsuccessful. Both of the guards were killed and she is now on her way to the white chess realm, where shoe has been instructed to meet with the bishops there."  
"Go on" the voice insisted calmly, but deadly.  
"I believe she will eventually find her way here if she meets with the bishops. They spread the religion into that realm on both sides of the board, Red and White. I could kill her if you request my master."  
"No, I will see to her passing personally." The voice answered. "Let her continue to discover more about the religion, it will be her downfall. Amusing."  
"Yes my lord." Konchuu replied though he felt nothing.   
"I foresee that the girl will eventually make her way here, however we must delay the process as long as possible while we prepare and killing her is not a suitable course of action. For now"  
"I understand, my master"  
The Shrouded master raised his hand and stroked his chin. He knew now was not the time to kill Alice and even when the time came, the task would be difficult. The Red Queen was not successful and it cost her life.   
"However, it does not restrict us from extending our grasp to crush her friends and the people she meets." He demonstrated this with his hands by conjouring up a shrunken head and crushing it into a pile of blood and mush. He rose up out of the chair, his face never once being touched by the light surrounding him. "Your orders Konchuu," he began "are to follow Alice in the best way you see fit. Monitor her actions, observe her progress and report back to me at regular intervals. Also I am ordering you to secretly execute anyone you see fit to hinder her progress and also try to "persuade" her to turn back. The religion must never change. The religion is absolute. Do you understand my orders?"  
Konchuu arose from his prone position and place his palm first on his chest and then flattened towards his master. "Perfectly, master. When am I to begin?"   
"Immediately," came the response. "You are to proceed without delay. In the mean time, I will prepare a little surprise for the young girl involving our red friends."  
  
His master dismissed him with a wave of his hand. He saluted once more and disappeared with the humming noise. The darkened figure walked out the door into the sanctuary and looked out the stained glass window. Light was beginning to creep through them as dawn was beginning to break. His time in this form was coming to an end and he had to plan an attack on the white chess realm. With a wave of his hand he summoned a round swirl of smoke into which a red bishop was centred, apparently in expectancy.  
"What is thy bidding oh holy one?" the red bishop asked humbly.  
"I wish to attack your neighbours, the white."   
"But our forces are not ready to destroy them sire!" his tone changed to one of desperation. "We cannot destroy them yet!"  
"I do not wish to destroy them, I wish to create chaos and disorder for a short time." He corrected  
"But still sire, if too many of our numbers we are vulnerable to a retaliation attack" he pleaded  
"I DO NOT CARE FOR YOUR EXCUSES WORM!! YOU WILL MAKE THIS HAPPEN OR YOU WILL FEEL MY WRATH AROUND YOUR THROAT!! I WANT AN ATTACK ON THE WHITE STRONGHOLD IN 8 HOURS!"  
When the shrouded one lost his temper, it was not a good sign. Someone was sure to be killed or worse if his wished were not followed precisely. The bishops conviction had disappeared when he realised this. "Yes, holy one." He solemnly replied, totally defeated and fearful and saluted in the same was as Konchuu. The image of the red bishop vanished with the wave of a hand.  
"You had better pray to whatever god who listens Alice that you die in the attack. I will be more thorough." He retreated to his sanctuary as the sun gradually crept in through the windows bringing the beauty of the new day. This would be a busy day for both sides.  



	5. A Royal Appointment

Chapter 5: A royal appointment.  
  
Alice fell out of the portal with a thud onto the smartly polished floor which seemed to be made up of lots of squares. She remembered suddenly that this was the chessmen's realm and judging by the colours, she had landed in the white section. She had little time to admire the huge and majestic castle in front of her when a pair of over zealous rooks brandished their polarms and pointed them in her direction. "That's the trouble with rooks," thought Alice. "No courtesy! And too disciplined for my liking" She began to speak, slightly embarrassed as she was sitting in a heap on the floor.  
"Don't you remember me gentlemen? It's me Alice!"  
"Alice who?" snapped the guard aggressively. Rooks also had little short term memory.  
"Just Alice! I managed to get you another queen when when the red forces executed yours? Then I was kidnapped by the hatter?" A thought arose. If these people (or pieces) were quick to act aggressively she wondered what condition the hatter would be in. Insanity was common for him but to be homicidal was not.  
The pieces looked at each other as if trying to remember when it came to them. Thy had escorted her to the red lands and helped her fight off some of the invaders. The guards shouldered their weapons and saluted placing their free hands over the ramparts of their head (they were castles after all).  
"Hail Alice," they chanted in unison "savour of the white kingdom and appointed custodian of the royal monarchy." They lowered their hands and snapped to attention. Alice was slightly overwhelmed.   
"Er.. Thanks guys!" She said unsure of how to react, these were after all the praetorian guard of the chessboard. "Could you help me find the Queen and King, please I have some business with them."  
One of the rooks glided forward, they had no feet after all. "Please follow me, Ma'am"  
"No need for the ma'am soldier, just Alice will do for now"  
"That would be un-proper addressing ma'am." And glided off in the direction of the castle. Alice simply shrugged her shoulders and followed him.  
  
Chessland had changed greatly since the passing of the Red Queen. The sky was no longer the colour of the white and black floor, It had regressed to the majesty of the blue and white clouds with the sun beaming on high illuminating all the piece soldiers below it. In this land, there were no civilians or citizens. All pieces were of the military and duty bound to protect the saftey of the monarchy and the realm. The game was never ending with both White and Red in a state of perpetual turmoil until either side mustered enough troops to mount an attack (or in the case of the white, stage a defence since they always moved first). The interior of the palace however had stayed the same. Brick walls festooned with artistry and tapestries. It amused Alice to see that there were several pictures of her on several walls and even the Cheshire cat had his picture in their halls of the noble. He didn't appreciate this however as he felt like he could be anchored in this place forever and always liked to be on the move. Alice felt this was his feline pride being ridiculous, or it was more likely arrogance.  
Around several winding staircases they walked , through courtyards which had pieces of different ranks drilling in tandem until they spotted her. Then a loud knight always orders his pawns,  
"COMPANY, ATTENTION!"  
She waved in gratitude, order to stand easy was given and the resumed their combat drills. Always the pieces were expecting an attack (or getting ready for one). Finally after an apparent eternity of walking, they arrived at the inner keep. Several knights and scores of pawns were on patrol around this building as this was obviously where the monarchy controlled their empire and it's appearance suggested so. A huge keep it was. Fortified against every possible attack with regiments of soldiers constantly on patrol in case they missed anything out. The rook turned and snapped to attention once more.  
"Please wait here and I will announce your presence ma'am" bellowed the rook  
"Carry on!" Ordered Alice, failing to hide a giggle.  
The rook was not impressed but did as he was told. Alice was not fond of harsh discipline and too many rules but it was not a question here. She signalled a nearby rook who leaped towards her in total enthusiasm and rigidly stood in front of her.  
"Hello there." She said calmly.  
"Good morning ma'am!" replied the pawn. Her voice was slightly squeaky than all other pieces but if she performed well she would be considered being promoted to the rank of "Queen of the guard" if needed be. "You seem to be excreting more than usual here. Why is that?"  
The pawn paused hesitantly as if this was not her place to answer. A convincing look from Alice changes her mind.   
"Recent events have persuaded us to upgrade tactics, Ma'am."  
"Recent events?"  
  
"The card guards are In a state of civil war since the loss of their queen and we are taking precautions should it venture into our domain."  
Alice nodded "A very wise course of action, anything else"  
"Only the perpetual threat from the evil red empire!"  
"I see." Her voice became disgruntled. "As you were. Soldier"  
"Yes ma'am." She shouted and bounded off in the direction of the parade grounds. A loud voice behind her made her jump.   
"The Royal Presence will see you now Ma'am!" shouted the rook.  
"Thank you!" and she stepped through the enormous gates  
  
"Alice!" came an over enthusiastic little voice. The white king was charging towards her and proceeded to shake her hand to the point she thought it would fall off. "Nice to see you again your majesty. But what is this about "appointed custodian"?"  
"It's a title that was granted to you after you helped us with the red forces. I would have given it to you personally but…."  
"But the hatter appeared." Interrupted the White queen. An elegantly dressed woman adorned with purple jewellery. "What brings you back here, Alice" she enquired.  
"I would like to ask a few questions to one of your bishops if you don't mind."   
"Ah I see!" the queen said surprised. "On which subject, they are all quite knowledgeable you know!"  
"A tribute to your education your highness." Alice knew inflating a monarch with pride was a sensible thing to do. "I wish to speak to them about the religion of wonderland"  
The mood drastically changed in the keep. The King and Queen seemed insulted and the royal guards nearby were almost in shock. "We do not subscribe to that inferior religion!" snapped the queen very hostile. "Our military code is far superior to any theology."  
"say something nice, say something nice" Alice mind insisted  
"Of course it is your highness." She insisted quickly.  
A large exhale was heard from some of the guards and the monarchs relaxed as well.  
"I apologise dear Alice. You may find one of the bishops is the holy barrack. One of the pawns will escort you." She snapped her fingers calling for an escort.  
"Thank you your highnesses." Alice curtseyed and lowered her head in respect.  
  
A single pawn tottered forward and stood firm to attention. "Please follow me ma'am" she spoke.  
She tottered off in the direction of a door near the back of the thrown room with a black and white coat of arms covered in what looked like a bishops stand. They both entered the majestic door into a large chamber illuminated by light pouring through stained glass marked with different chess pieces. Several pieces were standing before a bishop who was halfway through giving a sermon. Alice thought it would be prudent if they remained silent until he had finished.  
His sermon continued:  
  
"May the strength of purity bring added fortitude to our loyal troops in the field,  
and also may the divine presence protect and keep our beloved King and Queen from harm.  
Now go forth and serve your kingdom with loyalty, devotion compassion and honour. In the name of our kingdom. Serve well"  
"We serve our kingdom and protect our King and Queen!" The congregation of pieces echoed.  
"Go with honour" the bishop chanted.  
The pieces saluted and proceeded out of the holy barrack back to the courtyard to commence with their training. Alice felt now would be the time to speak. She dismissed the pawn who hopped off following the precession into the courtyard. She approached the bishop in the sanctuary who was preparing for the next service. "Bishop," she began and knelt down "I am Alice and I seek your council."  
"Yes my child, how may I help you?" He enquired in an enlightened and gentle voice   
"I wish to know about the religion of wonderland." She replied.  
He immediately clenched his fist and slammed it onto his chest as if a normal priest was crossing himself with shock. "My child, are you sure? It reveals a great evil."  
"I'm sure!" Alice said with definate conviction as if nothing could change her mind.  
"Very well then." I shall begin.  
He ushered her to one of the pews and sat her down like someone who was about to inform someone of a death would and collected himself to tell the story. He didn't start.  
Suddenly and without warning there was an explosion which sent the stained glass shattering down into the barrack. Alice instinctively leapt up and unsheathed her knife readying herself for combat in one swift notion. The priest had been knocked unconscious by a piece of supporting timber which had broken away from the window frame and he lay motionless on the floor but still breathing.  
"What the hell is going out there!" she screamed to anyone who would hear her.  
A knight yelled from outside. "The Red M'lady, the red are attacking the castle!"  



	6. An unreasoned attack?

Chapter 6 - An unreasoned attack?  
  
Alice burst into the throne room where the King and queen were briefing a group of rooks and knights about the defence of the castle and the counter strike when their eyes met Alice.  
"Alice!" The king yelled. "Can you help us please, they took us completely off guard" He seemed in a genuine state of panic whereas the queen was more calm and collect. All of the Rooks and knights were stood to attention at the sight of Alice with the occasional "neigh" from the horses.  
"Alice my dear, I hold you to your duty as appointed custodian to the royal circle and request you to aide in our defence!" The queen spoke strictly and cold which un-nerved Alice but she did not appreciate being ordered about.  
"I didn't request or appreciate being given the title with out my say in the matter!" She insisted.  
The king simply clicked her fingers and the guards in the room all pointed their weapons in Alice's direction. With a feeling of total frustration she spoke out.  
"How dare you insist this upon me!" But she looked around at the guards weapons all pointed at her and thought again "but you have persuaded me otherwise your majesties" and smiled, blandly.  
"I do not believe my vorpal blade will be enough though" she insisted  
Another click of the queens fingers and a croquet mallet was brought to her on a silver cushon carried by an apparently experienced pawn. Alice picked up the weapon and out of instinct began swinging around her like an expert. She finished in a post that made one of the knights shudder as the mallet was under his throat.  
"Now that you have your bearings Alice, help with our defence please. We believe once our troops have order we will drive the Red back as their numbers are not too great and their leader seems to be a bishop."  
"I understand" was her simple response and she turned to the expectant pieces.  
  
"Right you lot!" she said with an authoritarian voice. "Knights, you will form a line behind our battling troops and when you hear my signal, you will charge through and dispose of the enemy, understand?"  
"Yes ma'am!" came the chorus of knights.  
"All rooks come with me, we must weaken the enemy as much as possible. If you see the bishop, take him captive. Ready?"  
"Yes ma'am!" The rooks replied  
"Then take positions, immediately!"  
Alice and her temporary troops poured out of the hall into the courtyard where several regiments of pawns were fighting a group of knights who had broken through the main gates into the keep. Alice and the rooks formed a straight line near the steps of the keep, keeping out of harms way for now and the knights formed an vanguard triangle behind them. Alice's' next order was only one word.  
"Charge!"  
A whoop of cries came from the rooks as they all poured down the steps into the fray along with Alice and her new found weapon. The clash was incredible. The rooks systematically locked in combat with the red force and managed to take out 5 knights in their first attack. Alice knocked one knight with her mallet who burst into a gory mess as the electricity surged through his body with the impact of the mallet upon his horse. The queen and King were watching from a window in the keep.  
"She fights bravely for a little girl." Noticed the Queen  
"She did fight the Red Queen of hearts my dear!" replied the king "Her bravery is well known"  
Alice was string targets viciously with her mallet as if possessed by pure rage. One of the pawns had noticed that her eyes had gone red and she moved with great speed. She was obviously affected by her temper and fury. Another red pawn had been defeated under the blow of her mallet when she paused to regain her sanity that was clouded by her rage when a warning came from one of her rooks.  
"BEHIND YOU MA'AM!" he shouted.  
With one fluid motion she bent down, rolled over and delivered a fatal uppercut to an enemy rook who was inches away from thrusting his polearm through Alice's back. The rooks head shot up into the sky and came down some yards away stunning one of his own pawns at the time, knocking him senseless. His body dissolved with a whirl of white energy leaving a glowing orb behind, his life force.  
This was her chance. She looked around and saw that the attack was winning, the troops were organised and were pushing the Red back through the gates until her eyes focused on an single bishop who was hiding near the gates of the keep. She wasted no time. She aimed her mallet at the essence like a golfer would and stuck it as hard as she could. Her ball shot 50 feet into the air and exploded in a great ball of light and sound rather like a firework. The enemy was distracted for a moment too long.  
"KNIGHTS ADVANCE, WHITE FALL BACK!" She yelled.  
A great thunder of hooves roared across the courtyard as the white Rooks, knights and Paws fled the field so to avoid being trampled by the oncoming knights. The noise of the thundering hooves and the spectacle of the charging nights clouded the quiet humming noise which produced a black figure on top of the keep.  
The knights were successful. They scared the enemy into retreat save for one piece. The bishop, whom Alice took the opportunity to aim her mallet directly at his head. Amidst the white pieces uproar of victory she looked at the bishop who was quivering with fright at the failure of the attack.  
  
"Who sent you?" demanded Alice as her forces gathered around them both with their weapons raised.  
"Please don't make your ladyship!" the red bishop pleaded. "He'll kill me if I tell you!  
"Who will kill you if you tell me what!"  
He didn't have time to reply. A screeching noise similar to a crows wail was heard in the crowd and a small object flew from something on top of the keep towards the bishop with deadly aim. It sliced through the bishops throat leaving him choking in a pool of his own blood leaving no time to ponder his failure. He managed to speak on phrase before he died.  
"Alice, The cleric is not the one." He body convulsed once, stopped moving and vanished in the swirl of light. A humming noise was heard briefly and the object shaped like a scorpions claw vanished along with it's owner.  
A single pawn approached the lead rook and gave his report.  
"Sir, the remaining red troops had fled back to their territory!"  
The sound of this report produced a surge of joy among the white pieces but Alice could not help thinking about what the bishop had gave his life to tell her. She proceeded back to the Holy barrack where a young man was tending to the wounded bishop. Alice was instantly attracted to him. He was about the same age as her, not a huge build but had a strong frame, blond hair with green eyes and seemed to be a doctor of some sorts. Alice had no time for romantic notions though and decided to question the Bishop before he collapsed again.  
"Bishop you must tell me about the religion" she insisted.  
"Not now!" The man ordered "he is very week"  
"Christopher," the bishop spoke very weekly "trust me now leave us!"  
Christopher arose and left the barrack angrily and frustratingly.  
"He is the medic, he is young but strong willed. Take him with you on your journey."  
"Journey? Where am I going" she asked  
"You must go to the holy city in looking glass land" replied the bishop. "It is the capital of the invisible grasp of the Religion of wonderland. Only there will you find the corrupt centre of that false religion."  
He shuddered as if trying desperately to stay awake, he continued.  
"The religion has been trying to gain control for many years, you have not been to church for a while and that is why your faith in this world is so twisted. The people are in danger of becoming slaves again under this strict code. The caterpillar, the cat and I knew this, that's why you were delayed to returning to your world to perform this task for us. Take Christopher with you he will be my guide for you during this expedition. He will inform me via his prayers so don't interrupt him when he is atoning. Do you understand Alice?"  
"I think so?" replied Alice, unsure of herself and what she was being asked to do.  
"You will in time. Looking glass land is not far away. But be careful, I am convinced he and his master are watching our every move" Alice shuddered at the prospect of being watched all the time, especially as she did not know who was watching her. She Bishop then slided into unconsciousness and a group of pawns came to see him as Alice walked off towards the throne room.  
  
Back in the dark cathedral the master and servant were meeting again in the darkened room.  
"The attack was forced back my master but I was able to execute the red bishop and return here before he told Alice anything." Konchuu reported.  
His master raised hi hand, palm towards Konchuu. "He failed his test of devotion and was punished for it. He knew the price of failure. But the white bishop has told Alice what she need to know to find her way here."  
"A regrettable turn of events, master. Also I bring news the spade guards are no longer willing to help us. We will have to rely on other means" informed Konchuu.  
"Do not worry Konchuu. She cannot do the unexpected whilst you follow her. Don't lose sight of her Konchuu or it may be our downfall."  
"Don't worry my master," he replied "she cannot escape my eyes, no-one can."  
  



	7. Campfire stories

Chapter 7 - Campfire stories..  
  
Alice walked into the throne room closely followed by Christopher. She had never liked being so closely followed by anyone and he was saved only by the fact that Alice was attracted to him so she felt obliged not to kill him, for now. The Queen gave a bow to Alice as she approached the throne which surprised most of the praetorian guard as this wan not proper conduct for a Queen.  
"We are greatly pleased with your handling of the raid upon the royal citadel by red forces." Said the queen elegantly as usual. "Unfortunately our bishop strategists can come up with no explanation of why they would launch such a futile attack."  
"I believe I may have a reason," Alice replied. "The attack happened when I was gathering information about the religion of wonderland. The religion may be behind it to prevent me from finding something, the trouble is I don't know what. Maybe their headquarters?"  
"All that I know" interrupted Christopher "is that they nearly killed the holy bishop doing it!"  
"Yes, thank you Christopher." The queen ordered, trying to shut him up "Now, I would suggest that you proceed north to looking glass land nearby, The terrain has become less dangerous since the demise of the Queen of Hearts so you should be able to travel with out too much worry. However I will allow you to keep the Croquet mallet, just in case. You have several hours of daylight left so I would suggest you leave immediately."  
Alice and Christopher bowed towards the monarchs sat upon their thrones and were escorted out of the castle, through the city and out of the white kingdom and hopefully out of the Red kingdoms way.  
  
The journey north was a curious one for Alice. All of the roads and pathways were now a sight to behold in contrast to what they were under the queen of hearts' corruption. Where there was stone floors and pathways strewn with danger, there now lay grassy field and vergers covered with flowers of evry kind that could sometimes produce a polite conversation when they were not feeling too aristocratically when they would talk down to almost anyone. The lava flows that used to run through the land where lava beasts emerged and fire imps ran amok were no more and replaced by wonderful streams where only the occasional snark would be the most threatening adversary you would encounter. And even then their poisonous spit was less venomous to people (but quite offensive to clothes!)  
At one point, Christopher noticed a Griffin flying gracefully through the skies. Alice was tmpted to cry out to him as he was the most friendly and sage friend she had in defeating the queen. It invoked a response as she remembered he gave his life to help her defeat the jabberwocky but the queens defeat had undone all of her influence bringing him back to life along with all her other friends. She spoke of this at length with Christopher on their way north. He, like most of wonderlands inhabitants, had heard of her achievements but no-one knew how much a terrible ordeal it was for her, nearly being roasted, skewered, dismembered and blasted to pieces several times but especially the jabberwocks words to her, blaming her for not saving her parents and burning the house down. Even the telling of the story brought a tear to her eye.  
  
They made camp in a small valley near a fresh water stream several hours away from the chess kingdom. "So you've heard about me Christopher, Tell me about yourself?" Alice offered to begin conversation.  
"Alright then Alice." he began. "Well, Christopher is my given name, I was captured by the queens agents and tortured for their amusements. But they turned me over to the Hatter eventually, in trade for something I suppose I'll never know" Then his expression dropped and he became quite serious.  
"It was horrible. I was experimented on in the most bizarre ways imaginable. Sometimes I didn't think I would survive and I suppose a part of me didn't. I heard screams all through the night from my fellow captives and I still hear them sometimes in my sleep. Some of us went insane and were no use to the hatter anymore so we were converted in those automaton things. They made me watch as one of my best friends went through that machine. It was awful. He was torn in half and sliced limb from limb and he still didn't die, his blood was everywhere." he began to cry. "I can see his face now as they sliced his head open and took out his brain to put in that empty husk of a machine, I prayed so hard that he would die before he became one of those mindless machines but it was no use. I never saw him again after that. I made a promise to myself then that would help others whenever I could.  
"How ghastly!" replied Alice in sympathy.   
"I can't remember much of what happened next. I was taken to a church and was met by a man in black with the coldest eyes I've ever seen. It felt he was pulling the soul right out of me. I lost something that day but the day after I was given to the White kingdom. It irritates the bloody hell out of my because I can't understand why they did it. I asked to be schooled as a medic and my request was granted and I'm a damn good one too. I'm not favoured in court because sometimes I don't see eye to eye with the King and Queen. And that's how I came to be with you.  
  
"That's an awful story…"said Alice, "It sounds like the time I lost my parents."  
"How did they die?" asked Christopher, wiping his eyes with a handkerchief.  
"There was an accident and my house caught on fire. It was Dinahs' fault I suppose as she was the one who smashed the lantern causing the fire." She laughed for a moment "I remember I was dreaming having tea with the Hatter, the March hare and the dormouse. Suddenly one of the kettles caught fire and I smelt the smoke. They woke me up to realise that it wasn't the tea table on fire, it was my house. I ran screaming for my parents on the landing but they had been trapped in their room so they couldn't get out. I remember hearing my father telling me "Save yourself Alice!". The tears were streaming down her face. "I jumped through the front door heard my parents screaming as they burned alive." She calmed herself and Christopher gave her his handkerchief to wipe her face with.  
"I went mad after that and it was that moment I believe I corrupted wonderland and the Queen of hearts took over. I would lay in the asylum for years until Rabbit brought me here. But it was no better. I lost friends in one way or another. I was glad when I dispose of the queen. It helped me come out of it."  
Alice suddenly realised what she had said to this person. She was experiencing a feeling she had never felt before. She took his hand and said to him quietly.  
  
"You're the first person I've shared all this with Christopher."  
"And you're the first person I've told this to also Alice, I suppose it's because I care for you"  
"I care for you too."  
There eyes met and their faces slowly came together and they kissed. In that moment they had shared a moment of sheer despair and Alice found comfort in this. She admired him so much and it felt so natural to be with him (he was probably the only other human she had met in wonderland too.) She had never felt this way about anyone before but she felt there was something he was not telling her. Life with the Hatter in his deranged state though, he probable saw horrors beyond imagination. Their lips parted and her words were so gentle.  
"Goodnight, Christopher." Alice whispered  
"Sweet dreams Alice" he replied.   
She turned over in the grass and fell asleep while Christopher prayed for awhile and fell to sleep in a patch of soft grass. Unbeknownst to her, she would have far from pleasant dreams.  
A chord of chimes failed to wake either of them as the cat materialised next to them. He looked at Christopher with a look of sheer contempt and disappeared silently and unnoticed once more.  
  



	8. The Darkness in the dream

Chapter 8- The Darkness in the dream.  
  
"Alice? Where are you" a voice rang out.  
  
Alice opened her eyes to find herself in the prison wing of the Hatters mansion once more listening to the voice. A young boys voice.  
  
"Help me Alice!"  
  
His voice was clear amongst the screams that were echoing quietly in the distance amongst other strange noises.  
  
"Follow the sound Alice. Follow the sound"  
  
She did as she was told without thinking. Her mind was unaware of what her body was doing. And she had no control. She heard a dark voice chant, it almost sounds like a sermon.  
  
"The nightmare spiders, roam the hall,  
to claim our escapees.  
Upon their victims heads they fall,  
And steal their sanity!"  
"They give no thought to who they are,  
and never question why.  
There orders are to seize the strong  
And sentence them to die"  
  
"Are you strong Alice?"   
  
A hideous, bloodcurdling laugh boomed and echoed around the passageways and through the doors of the many cells.  
  
"Save me Alice!!" Screamed the Boys voice.  
  
Out of instinct, she belted towards the voice coming from behind a door but it was locked. A chattering noise was growing behind her. She turned and faced the noise. A nightmare spider was before her and approaching her swiftly. It's expressionless, Mask like face chattering at the sight of its pray as two large fangs appeared from its mouth, dripping poison, or was it blood!  
  
"Better hurry up!" the menacing voice taunted. "There coming to get you Alice!"  
  
She fumbled, franticly with the handle on the door but still it refused to open. She reached for her Vorpal blade to try and pick the lock, but it was not there.  
  
The spiders chattering was getting louder!  
  
She turned around to see the Hatter being pounced on by the nightmare spider. The fangs dove deep into his neck and a hideous sucking noise was heard as his green skin was being turned white as his own blood dripped down his face. He twitched once and lay motionless. The spider screeched which produced a sound that cut straight through her and sent her sprawling to her knees.  
  
"Your next, my dear Alice" the dark voice said menacingly.  
  
"Who are you?!" she screamed in desperation.  
  
"I'm coming for you Alice. And there's nowhere you can run!"  
  
Suddenly the lock clanked as the spider lunged. She opened, entered the door and closed it in one fluid motion as the spider slammed into it. But the sight she saw scared her into total numbness.  
  
"Alice?, You found me!"  
  
The voice came from a lifeless body, hanging from the roof with a rope around his neck. The boy was Christopher!!! His blood dripping of his feet into a puddle on the floor.  
  
She broke down in tears. As she approached him his eyes opened widely into a fixed glare that made her scream. Not a sign of any life or humanity!   
  
The Humming noise!  
  
His voiced screamed in her head!!  
  
"BEHIND YOU ALICE!!!! IT'S HIM!!!!"  
  
She turned around, her eyes streaked in tears. There stood a man dressed in black shining clothes with his wrist pointed in her direction with his fist clenched. His lifeless eyes fixed on hers as she felt her fear rising to the point of breakdown.  
  
His deep, dark menacing voice was like a thousand needles in her heart!  
  
"The Queen of hearts is gone!  
Religion rule lives on!  
Her last command be said!  
Off with her head!"  
  
Alice screamed.  
  
A screeching, wail was heard.  
  
The sting flew from his wrist!!!  
  
SLICE!  
  
---darkness---  
  
---silence---  
  
---emptiness---  
  
"I'm watching you Alice!"  
  
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO  
  



	9. Pure Water

Chapter 9 - Pure Water.  
  
Alice awoke from her sleep with a scream that woke up Christopher and startled a nearby poesy of roses.  
"Alice what's the matter?" Christopher asked, still groggy but definitely awake. No-one could have slept through that scream of terror. Alice was hesitant to talk of things she dreamed about especially since the person she dreamed of was quite dead. "I just had a terrible nightmare!" was her response.  
"Want to talk about it?"  
"Not really."  
A moment of uncertainty passed between them. Alice was unsure of if Christopher should hear about her nightmare and he wondered what caused her distress. Maybe he wondered a little to much?  
"If your alright Alice, we must keep going towards the looking glass realm. If we're lucky, we should reach it by dinnertime."  
"That's all very well," said Alice "but the last time I was there, there was nothing worth rushing towards. You were in the Hatters asylum there remember?"  
Christopher of course did remember, unfortunately.  
"After you defeated the Hatter Alice, the looking glass realm has become more civilised, there are people living there now. I think it's where I came from originally."  
The people who lived there before must have been converted into automatons (which explained why there were so many of them when she was taken there) people living there now must be very brave, or very stupid.   
"Alright. We'd better get started then." She sheathed her knife and they were off once more.  
  
On the way Alice talked more about her previous adventure which Christopher listened to intently as he had only been in the Hatters prison and the Chessmen world.  
"Tell me more Alice." he would keep saying.  
He found the tales of the Mock turtles particularly interesting. They were a rack of pretend turtles always on the run as their shells were in great demand for mock turtle soup. The honour of the amphibian had been bestowed on her for saving one of their kind.  
"I don't understand." Asked Christopher.  
They paused next to a shallow stream to demonstrate.  
"Watch this." Said Alice and dived into the water which came up over her head and there she stayed.  
And she stayed there for quite some time. Christopher was amazed by how long she could stay under without coming up for air at all until after about 10 minutes she emerged gasping.  
"Amazing!" he cheered, clapping his hands.  
She stepped out of the water and was instantly dry which confounded him again.  
They continued and it wasn't long till they spotted a small town beneath a giant clock, which was backwards but going in the right direction.  
"What a peculiar clock?" uttered Alice. "I wonder how they tell the time?"  
"It's a normal clock." replied Christopher. "it's just goes backwards that's all!  
"Is it left over from the Hatter?" she asked, carefully.  
"Surprisingly no," he replied. "It was built there by the bandersnatch."  
  
"The Bandersnatch?" Alice wondered to herself. After all of her travels through wonderland she had never encountered a bandersnatch. She remembered reading a poem about the Jabberwock which had the word "Bandersnatch" in it. Apparently they were very frumious. Whatever that meant.  
The headed into town where they were greeted by what seemed like normal people similar in appearance to humans. The buildings were not un-similar to those in the troll village in the outskirts of wonderland except they were almost shining in the sunlight and much larger.   
"Well now that we're here, what do we do" asked Alice hoping the journey was not a waste of her time.  
"Maybe we should see the Mayor. Good a place to start as any?" he suggested.  
Alice would have to rely on her reputation of being a "savour" to get her about. She had never considered herself to be a celebrity, she was just a young girl to herself. But she had done a lot of good in this world. Hopefully it would help.  
The biggest building in the town was a cathedral (in fact the town seemed to be built around it) It was very large and quite old looking. It seemed like something strange and mysterious was going on in there. "Come, come Alice." She thought to herself "It's a cathedral, a place of worship". She noticed quite a few people were coming in and out of it constantly. She pointed Christopher to it.  
"That's the Cathedral of the religion." He informed her. "Nothing evil goes on in there. At least none that we know about. It's a holy place."  
"Really?" said Alice curiously. Ignoring what curiosity did to the cat, she continued.  
"It's been a while since we went to church. Come on"  
Christopher agreed (to Alice's surprise) and they walked up the main road that lead to the large open doors to the cathedral where a large congregation were sitting in rows of pews listening to a prominent figure who was delivering a sermon. He was dressed in a white robe with occasional golden braiding and he had the attention of everyone in the building. Alice and Christopher sat down in a row near the back and listened.  
The sermon continued:  
  
"My fellow brothers and sisters. Today is no ordinary day for the people of this town. We are blessed by the coming of the one who liberated this world from the oppression of the evil Queen of Hearts."  
  
Alice felt uncomfortable and fidgeted unconsciously. How did he know?  
  
"If you should see her, do not be rude or hostile. She has delivered our souls into the light of freedom from the shackles of tyranny. And now I offer a prayer for our protection."  
"Protection from what?" Alice wondered  
"Oh mighty guardian, protect us from the darkness that lies beyond the great mirror and see that the evil therein never sees the light of our beautiful town. Amen"  
"Amen" The congregation repeated and they all began to disperse.  
  
"That was odd!" said Alice, to no-one in particular.  
"But maybe we should now take advantage of our new found stardom?" replied her companion  
Come to think of it, she was quite hungry and they did need a place to stay for tonight.  
"Alright. You and go find a nice place with something to eat. Here take this."  
She placed her vorpal blade in his hand. He initially rejected it.  
"Please no Alice. I can't stand knives"  
"As long as you don't use it, it'll be alright. It's proof your with me silly!" she chuckled  
He proceeded out of the door and off into the town whereas Alice drew a deep breath. If what the caterpillar and the queen said was true. She was risking a lot talking to a bishop of the religion.  
She approached the priest, splendid in his white robe. He was reading from a large book when he looked up and she caught his eye. He voice was surprising gentle and harmonious.  
"Hello you worship. I'm…"  
"Alice, yes I know."  
She found it disturbing that everyone knew who she was and when she was due to arrive. It spoils a girls fun when she loses the element of surprise!  
"And as for the religion, I can only tell you of what I myself do."  
"Well?" she asked, slightly rudely and impatiently.  
"After the Queens lieutenant, The Hatter, was defeated, the people in this realm were lost and without purpose. After the religion came to this place, things have been growing well. The people are happy, local business is booming, relations are not as hostile and our message spreads easily."  
"Yes, yes. But what is your message."  
He cleared his throat as if to deliver a slogan.  
"Give yourself to the religion, and know well being."  
"That's it!" Alice was very disappointed.  
"Everyone who follows us takes communion and drinks the holy water of purity."   
Her interest spiked.  
"Tell me about the water." She insisted.  
"Well it's used in the same as wine in Christianity I suppose. The brother or sister kneels before me, gives a blessing and drinks the water. After that, the world seems to get better for them."  
"Why?" asked Alice almost immediately. The priest felt like this was becoming an interrogation and appropriately became uncomfortable.  
"That my child, I cannot answer. That is where you must have faith."  
  
This simple sentence had ended their conversation. Alice felt extremely disappointed but more knowledgeable about the mysterious religion. The Priest felt lifted as he felt like he had a test of faith and succeeded. Alice also felt hungry.  
"Well thank you for your help your eminence?" Alice finished on with a definite air of sarcasm. "I must leave as my friend is waiting for me in the village. If you were hungry and needed lodgings, where would you go?"  
"The Hotel" was his simple reply  
"I know that but which one?"  
"We only have one child. And it is called "The hotel""  
Aside from occasional madness, Alice very rarely found simplicity in wonderland.  
"You will find it straight down the main road, you cannot miss the sign."  
She curtsied, smiled and set off towards the door. Her smile vanished as soon as her back was turned. The Priest knelt down in the sanctuary and prayed. The tone of his voice dropped to a deep growling.  
"You may wish to pray tonight Alice." He said, alone "You'll need it!"  



	10. Ice pack

Chapter 10 - Ice Pack.  
  
"The hotel" was as the priest said. Straight down the main road and the sign that advertised it to passers by in the street could hardly be missed. It stood hanging from a large building with pictures of a bed and a slice of cheese on it. Alice thought it might have mice but shrugged it off and entered anyway.  
The sight that befell her was more comforting. There were many people sat around tables drinking eating scrumptious looking meals and laughing quite heartily. Including Christopher who looks like he was enjoying himself a little too much. A far cry from the nervous, cheeky young man she gave her knife too (and her kiss). She sat down at his table and he gestured to the barman who approached with a pad and pencil. Alice did not object as she was starving.  
"What's' good to eat Chris?"  
"It's Christopher!" he insisted. His speech was slightly slurred. "By the way Alice, they serve a wonderful drink here called Banderscotch, you should try it?"  
Alice thought about him and looked at him.  
"How many of them have you had, Christopher?"  
"About five or six." He honestly replied.  
"Have you eaten yet?"  
"No, I was waiting for you. Because it's proper" His head waved about, trying to seem distinguished and failing, miserably. True it was proper to wait for friends. He may be slightly sozzled but he was still a gentleman. And she liked him for it. She asked what was good as the barkeep had just arrived.  
"I have heard from the locals that the snark and chips is quite excellent."  
Alice smiled in amusement. When she was in the "real" world fish and chips were common food in England and since the snark was the wonderland equivalent, it made sense. She ordered and asked for one bottle of Banderscotch (she didn't want to eventually fall into the state Christopher was, albeit recovering slowly). The waiter brought two plates with a large battered snark and a number of chips. All of this looked delicious and the pair wasted no time in tucking in. She drank from the bottle and a warm feeling entered her as the liquid ran down her throat into her stomach. She felt more relaxed and shuddered slightly which wore off the effect.  
  
"I told you it was good stuff, Alice!" he reminded her. The food had sobered him up slightly and he became more inquisitive. "How did your meeting with the Bishop go?"  
"Well. I suppose I learnt something so it wasn't a total loss." It suddenly hit her that he may have lived here at one point. "Have you ever drank the water of purity?" The question had raised a few eyebrows around the place but unshook her companion.  
"No, what flavour is it?" his answer was innocent enough.  
"Doesn't matter." Was her response and they continued eating.  
The meal itself was unlike anything Alice had ever tasted. She had eaten fish before but it was not as delicious as snark. It seemed more delicious and the flavour swirled around ones mouth as if it's duty was to enrich every taste bud before it was swallowed. Every bite seemed to please Alice and Christopher no end. Accompanied by a mouthful of Banderscotch, the dining experience was one of the best culinary surprises Alice had enjoyed in her lifetime. It was so much superior than the porridge she had in the asylum. Their ravenous appetites had made sure their plates were clear before the barman came and took them away. Their conversation turned to their plans.  
  
"The barkeeper has agreed to let us stay for the night but as for tomorrow what are we going to do then?" asked Christopher. He had a point. They were on the verge of looking glass land, all they had to do was step through now.  
"Tomorrow we have to step through the looking glass. I hope it has improved since my last visit."  
"I doubt it," said Christopher "Through the looking glass the rules of wonderland don't really apply. From what I've heard, the queen had to corrupt the hatter to rule there."  
"But the hatters not there now," Alice pointed out "so something goods bound to have happened."  
"I hope so, I didn't like my time there much!" he said, sarcastically.  
She held his hand reassuringly and gave him a comforting smile. They shared that moment once again. Alice thought it strange that her most strongest (and pleasant) feelings came through times of sadness but she did not complain as she had never felt this comfortable with anyone else save one person. The Cheshire cat. She hoped he was not jealous, he could be so awful and even more closed minded when he was jealous.  
They decided that as it was getting late, they should head up to their rooms so they asked the barkeeper to be escorted to their rooms.   
"Oh wait miss!" shouted the barkeeper. "This parcel came for you!"  
A Parcel? For Alice? Here? This was most unusual but she asked for it anyway. He cleared a long space and placed it gingerly on the bar. From his actions it looked like quite a gentle object wrapped in brown paper tied simply with string with the word "fragile" written on the side by a gentle hand.  
Next to the writing was the picture of a crescent moon. Stranger still!  
Alice took the parcel and as the object was placed in her hands the whole room slowed in time until everyone stopped moving and her surroundings became dark and blurry. She looked at the parcel once moor and the crescent moon had rotated and began to speak.  
  
"Open me, only when your alone!" The voice was that of the Cheshire cat. A pair of eyes appeared above the mouth, then both disappeared.  
  
The bar and its occupants returned to normal leaving Christopher looking at her, slightly concerned.  
"Are you alright Alice? You were in another world for a moment."  
She decided not to tell him about the cat so told a little white lie.  
"I guess that Banderscotch went to my head after all!!" she chucked making the bartender, Christopher and several nearby drinkers laugh. "We'd better go to bed, See you in the morning."  
She sprightly kissed his cheek (making him blush) and both went up the stairs into their rooms. Alice quickly locked her door, blocked it with a chair. Whatever was in the parcel it was clearly important and she wasn't taking any chances. She looked around her room. A single bed covered in a pink quilt (seemed comfortable enough), a chest of draws which were of no use since she had no other clothes and a bedside table with a curious lamp stood atop of it.  
She sat on her bed and removed her boots. It felt like she had been wearing them forever and her toes seemed happy to be free once again. She lied the parcel on the bed beside her and paused in thought.  
"What would cat send me here?" she thought "It must be important or why go through the trouble." Her hand gingerly pulled the string and the paper unwrapped itself revealing one of her most prized possessions sitting on her bed. Her ice staff!  
The room became dark and blurry once again and the familiar, charming voice returned.  
"I have kept it in my care until now, you know how to use it I assume. You may need it sooner than you think!" his voice disappeared just as it's owner would.  
She was too tired to think right now so she placed the staff in one of the draws (lying in its dormant state) removed her dress, folded it neatly and went to bed. She hoped it would be dreamless. It wasn't.  
She was rolling through the grassy fields of wonderland with her friend Rabbit. It had been so long since they were together and she swore she would make up for it as soon as possible. They lay on a hillside looking at the birds circling in the sky until something changed.  
A torrent of water burst through the floor next to her drenching her and Rabbit. They ran away from it but another fountain burst in their path. The sky darkened and deafening claps of thunder were heard all over the sky. Alice was frightened but rabbits next words had their appropriate effect she had heard all too well before.  
"WAKE UP ALICE WAKE UP!!"  
  
She awoke sharply to hear not thunder but someone banging on her door outside! She sharply got dressed and opened her drawer revealing the ice staff. "It's been a while" she thought to herself but wasted no time, she took the staff in to arms and banged on the bottom of the handle. Suddenly, it was alive. Wisps of fine, dry ice came slowly from the crystal like top end. She rapidly fastened her boots (which took some moments as they were knee length, how she wished for shorter shoes!) and stood ready pointing the staff towards the throbbing door. Suddenly It burst open and there stood the barkeeper, although quite different. Where he had green eyes before, now a pale glowing white and fixed on Alice in a fatal gaze!   
"I Will destroy Alice, cleric." His voice sounded almost multiplied with a higher and lower doubling to it. He advanced but Alice waited no longer and twisted the staffs handle.  
Instantly gusts of blue and white energy appeared from the crystal orifice and blanketed the barkeeper in a sound of a blizzards roar and Alice feeling the recoil of the streaming ice.. Screaming with cold the bartender writhed in pain, shivering uncontrollably, until he was frozen in a skin tight layer of ice and his eyes returned to normal.  
Alice ceased the staffs freeze with another twist of the handle and stood motionless as the bartender melted away into a pool of water. "A clean death" Alice thought.  
A scream came from Christopher's room!!!!  
  
"CHRISTOPHER!!!!" she screamed as she ran full speed down the corridor. She cared for him too much and was not going to lose him now!!!  
  



	11. Escape from the masses

Chapter 11 - Escape from the masses.  
  
Alice rushed down the corridor with the ice staff breathing (as it were) in her hands. She turned a corner and found one of the drinkers from the bar trying to knock the door down to Christopher's room chanting "I will kill the companion, my cleric". He turned around and met her with the same slowing eyes as the bartender and changed his mind to killing her instead. Her reaction was the same.   
With one twist of the ice staff, a torrent of dry ice emerged totally freezing the hypnotised madman. Instead of melting, he toppled over and smashed into a thousand little iced pieces, then melted.  
"Alice?" cried out a terrified Christopher. "Is that you? What's going on?" She entered his room to find him cowering behind his bed.  
"Yes it's me" she replied "and as for what's going on, I have no idea but I think we'd better leave before anyone else comes along!"  
He shook himself down and wizened himself up (well, almost). He opened his drawer in the cabinet and pulled out the Vorpal blade. "Here, I think this belongs to you?"  
"You'd better keep it." She said in reply "You might need it!"  
"Alice I couldn't, please don't force me!"  
She shrugged her shoulders and took the knife from him. He reminded her of herself before the fire. Then, she would never think of killing anyone, but things change and this was Wonderland!  
  
A loud shuffle was heard from all around them as people were getting out of their beds, grabbing any weapon they could find or make and heading towards them with the same orders. They both ran down the corridors of the hotel and descended the stairs into the bar. Unfortunately some people had not gone to bed yet and were still awake. Their initial expression was one of confusion which relieved Alice. "Maybe their Agnostics" hoped Alice but religious or not there were still hordes of people rushing up behind them. Alice suddenly remembered what happened if she twisted her staff handle the other way. She pointed it at the stairway and twisted the handle. The torrent of ice flowed but it seemed to stop in a vertical formation. It formed a hard sheet of ice which completley blocked the doorway, it was also transparent so she could see the amusing sight of people trying to break down the barrier and slipping clumsily.  
"Er..Alice!" came up Christopher. His voice was too petrified to ignore so she turned round. She wished she hadn't. The residents in the bar had stopped moving and their eyes were wide open but still their own colour. Until something changed. Their eyes all began to glow bright white and all of them fixed on her with a glare that she didn't like the first time around.  
"I think were in trouble!" said Alice  
"I think your right!" replied Christopher "What do we do?"  
Alice noticed that there was a clear path to the front door. As they were all still, now was a good as time to any. One word was all she could say.  
"RUN!" she screamed!  
  
They both darted towards the door dodging outstretched arms reaching for their throats. And it looked like they were going to make it. One person decided to leap for them and caught Christopher by the ankle. He instantly screamed with terror and Alice instinctively turned around and prepared to fire but she couldn't hit his attacker without hitting him too. For a brief moment she paused in total confusion. She felt a hand on her shoulder and turned around reducing the assailant to a puddle of water in seconds. Christopher's attacker had his hands round his throat despite his best efforts to stop him by wriggling frantically. She had to do it, there was no other choice.   
"Sorry Chris!" she said apologetically and threw the vorpal blade at him.  
He appeared to close his eyes, bracing himself for the worst when the was a loud squelching sound.  
He felt something dripping on his face and opened his eyes. He saw Alice's knife imbedded in his attackers forehead and his blood was curling its way around his eyes, over his nose and falling into his face. That was it. He broke. He threw, his now deceased attacker off him and ran towards the door faster than a speeding cheetah, screaming insanely all the way. Alice held out her hand towards the knife which disappeared from the corpses forehead and reappeared in her awaiting hand.  
Trying to follow Christopher was harder than she thought. She had never seen anyone run as fast as he did. She caught up to him when he was blocked by a row of towns folk all brandishing flaming torches, knives, chairs, anything they could get their hands on. She grabbed him and ran in the opposite direction but was cut off by more townsfolk coming in the opposite direction. Alice suddenly realised with horror! They were trapped!  
"I'm sorry I ran Alice," he said nervously and feeling shameful. "I couldn't help it"  
"That's alright, I'm surprised you managed to get this far!" she replied.  
Come to think of it, that was strange. Practically all of the town were up in arms against them and he managed to get to the outskirts without a scratch. How unusual? Now, though was not the time for thinking unless it was of the "how do we get out of this alive?" sort.  
  
Christopher and Alice held hands in preparation for what came next as the villagers were now only 10 feet away and closing rapidly. Totally out of the blue, a box fell out of the sky and landed in front of them and among the villagers with a thud. Literally, everyone paused in surprise though Alice had a strange feeling she'd seen that box somewhere before. A head popped out wearing a jesters cowl with a huge white smiling face and began to chime slightly off key. It started to chime "Pop goes the weasel."  
Alice remembered with mild shock that a jackbomb had landed in front of them and was about to either  
explode or begin spouting flames in all directions!  
"DROP!" she yelled and dragged Christopher to the floor. They just made it!  
As the box finished its sprightly tune, it head span wildly and a sheet of flame 5 yards long covering all the villagers in flame, then unexpectedly (except to Alice) exploded knocking everyone off their feet, writing in agony as only a person on fire would do. Then a strange noise appeared from nowhere and it was unlike anything Alice had heard before. It was a cross between an eagles screech and a lions majestic roar. What in all of wonder land would make such a noise? Lion and Eagle? Of course.  
Alice looked up and smiled as the sight of a griffon diving towards them met her eyes, he landed with perfect dexterity and began to speak.  
"I knew you'd get into trouble sooner or later Alice!" He said, smiling. "So I brought a present!"  
"A jackbomb! I'm very grateful, this is Christopher by the way."  
"No time for introductions now Alice, we've got to go! Hop on!"  
Alice and Christopher climbed on the Griffons' back and they took off into the night sky with a great whoosh of acceleration. She looked down and saw the villager retreating to the nearest water they could find to put themselves out. Griffon was mildly uncomfortable as her friend was gripping him tighter than anyone he had carried before.  
  
"Alice?" Griffon asked. "Could you please tell your friend to ease off a bit, I'm finding it hard to stay airborne with him holding so tight. We don't want to fall now do we?"  
Christopher immediately relaxed his grip. He realised he still didn't like flying.  
"What are you doing here griffon?" Alice asked.  
"I was looking for you ever since I heard you were in the Chess realm. I figured if you were there you must be doing something serious so I followed your trail until found you. Just in time by the looks of it.!" He answered. Alice brushed some ashes from her skirt as they flew. It was still no excuse to get ones dress dirty, especially since she had no change of clothing.  
"Where are you taking us?" asked Christopher nervously. If Alice trusted him, he could make one exception to his fear of flying.  
"We're heading to the eyrie for now, you need to sleep remember. I'll take you wherever you need to go tomorrow." He said reassuringly.  
Griffons voice sounded more mature than anyone else's in the whole of wonderland in Alice's opinion. He acted more responsible than everyone else she had met and was not as stubborn as the Cheshire cat could be. He was always ready to lend a helping hand if someone needed it and had risked his life for the cause of good. He gave his life fighting the Jabberwock in Alice's escapade to defeat the Queen of Hearts (he was brought back when her corruption was defeated to his surprise more than anyone else's).  
  
They arrived at the Eyrie and what a sight it was. An Eyrie was the griffon equivalent of a nest and it looked like a very comfortable for any bird to live in. It must have been the Lion in him to make his home similar to a throne as it was covered in feathers all over and was extremely soft as they landed. Alice and Christopher felt an unusual aura about the nest as they walked around the perimeter. The Griffon explained that the nest was enchanted to protect its occupants from danger and the effects of bad weather. They both agreed they would have a good nights sleep for a change.  
"You may sleep on the feathers, I'm sure you will find it most comfortable." Explained the Griffon.  
"Thank you very much" Alice replied as she lied amongst the feathers "I get the feeling things bay be improving!" She turned over and kissed Christopher on the cheek who blushed uncontrollably.  
"Good night Christopher." She spoke  
"Night Alice" he replied. He turned to Griffon. "and thank you sir!"  
The Griffon nodded politely and stood watch over the mountains as his guests fell into a comfortable sleep. Something bothered him. There was some dark shadow hovering over Christopher as he studied the boy closely.   
He seemed like an ordinary young man, but the Griffon still felt unsure about him.  



	12. 'Tis rude to talk with ones mouth full!

Chapter 12 - 'Tis rude to talk with ones mouth full!  
  
Alice had difficulty waking up the next morning. There was nothing wrong with her, it's just she didn't want to! The Eyrie was the most comfortable bed she had ever slept in and was not in any rush to leave it. But unfortunately she had work to do and she had to figure out why a town of friendly villagers who gave them every convenience had become a rampaging mob bent on their destruction. As she lie in the nest looking at the sky, she was observing other griffons from nearby nest swooping, diving somersaulting and generally having a good time. She remembered a time when the simple joy of playing, taking tea and talking to her parents was a joy to no end. How abruptly the fire came and took all of them from her. Losing her innocence had cost more than her sanity. It almost lost the simple joy of being alive.  
Christopher gave a loud yawn and rolled over and, barely conscious, looked at Alice. He smiled and gave a huge stretch that made nearby birds scatter wildly. "Sorry" he cried out  
"I should think so too!" replied an angry group of magpies, and flew off.  
"Looks like I'm always upsetting someone." He regretted to himself  
"You haven't disappointed me." Recovered Alice.  
"I nearly got us killed in the village last night!" he yelled "If it wasn't for the griffon, we'd be history.!" He paused and looked around. "Speaking of which, where is he?"  
"I hope he's getting us some breakfast, I'm a little hungry" replied Alice.  
Almost on cue. The griffon soared in from below the nest carrying an assortment of fresh fruits in his front talons and a dead jub jub bird in his mouth, that made Christopher wince. He hovered for a moment flapping his wings, dropped the fruit and landed beside them.  
  
"I brought you some fruits to eat" he began "and I got myself my breakfast as well!" pointing his beak towards the carcass. "I thought we'd discuss our plans over breakfast"  
"A good idea!" said Christopher and immediately grabbed a large apple.  
"Well I know for a fact we need to get into looking glass land," started Alice "but I'll assume we'd never get to there through normal means. Were going to need some help"  
Out of nowhere, a chiming sound rang out and a smiling head became apparent in the nest. The body proceeded to join in as soon as his glowing eyes found the sight of griffons Jub Jub bird. A small growl was heard. Cat was obviously hungry.  
"Very well cat, there enough bird for both of us." The griffon sighed.  
Cat however did not wait for the invitation and began to pick at the carcass. Alice had never seen cat eat before. She had seen Dinah and her kittens capture birds in her in her old garden and later bring them to her an eat them, but this was no ordinary cat. He was quite ravenous with the meal. A curious look from the griffon reminded him of who's breakfast it was originally for and he stopped.  
  
"What are you doing here cat?" Alice asked, halfway through eating a large berry.  
"I have come here because the situation had degenerated quite badly for us." He looked serious, despite the smile. "The trolls in the village have rebelled and are searching the countryside for you. It began without warning last night and they seem to be under some form of telepathically induced hypnosis and my best efforts to release any of them have failed."  
"That'll make things more difficult!" interjected Christopher. The cat displayed a look that he was seriously not amused.  
"Has the Elder been affected" Alice asked. Hoping it wouldn't be true.  
"No, he hasn't" came the response. Alice was relieved. "He can be quite stubborn and he didn't go to church. Either that or his filthy smoking habits have slowed the process."  
Cat despised people who smoked, The smell lingered on his beautiful fur.  
"Loos like were all in the same boat now cat so you can get off your high horse." Said griffin scornfully. Cat hated to admit it but he was right. He could appear anywhere. But that was of no us now when wherever you went, people wanted to kill you.  
"An attack to gain access to the great mirror would seem advisable. I believe the chessmen are unaffected. Maybe we should seek their assistance?" Cat asked.  
The Chessmen were strong and if anyone was to be the muscle of the plan, they would be it. An aerial assault would be advantageous too. She turned to Griffon.  
"Could there be a chance of your assistance." Asked Alice. "You could drop jack bombs from the air and help our forces."  
"I will do as you ask Alice. I can carry about eight jack bombs, two in each leg. I hope it's enough"  
"It will have to do," replied Alice "The attack will have to be fast enough to get me and Christopher into the mirror"  
"Me too!" Christopher early choked on a grape.  
"yes you too!" insisted cat "Don't give in to your cowardice!"  
  
Alice had finished her share of the fruit, smarted her dress up and spoke.  
"I think we should return to the chess realm and muster an army to create a frontal assault to distract the villagers."  
"I will go to the chess realm and convince our royal allies." Cat declared. He smiled at a passing thought. "The queen is quite fond of cats."  
"Remember!" interrupted Alice. "We don't want people killed! Only a few minor casualties!"  
The Cheshire cat seemed disappointed but nodded in acceptance and disappeared.  
"Where do WE go now Alice!" asked Christopher sarcastically  
"WE" she followed "will go to the troll village and see if we can get the elder and his balloon. If we succeed the air diversion will last a little longer."  
The griffon nodded, agreeing with her idea. "I'll take you there." He stood up and fluttered his wings open. Alice always admired this sight. He was one of her closest friends and the sight of him brought an air of majesty and pride.  
"When do we leave?" griffon asked  
"Now." Alice replied simply  
She began to approach him but was stopped by Christopher.  
"Can we wait for a while?" He asked "You know how I take to flying and I don't want to lose breakfast!"  
  
A short while later, Alice, Christopher and griffon were soaring over the fields and rivers of wonderland once more. Alice sat up, closed her eyes and felt the air currents blow past her. The whooshing sound in her ears, the feeling of elevation, the cool fresh air, all added to this wonderful sensation. She wondered if people in the real world would ever know the feeling of exhilaration while flying high above the skies at great speed. It was moments like this that gradually made her feel alive more and more. As there were no griffons In the real world, se found it unlikely and felt pity for them.  
Christopher (as she knew) hated flying but seemed to fear it less and enjoy it more each time. Griffon noticed he held on less tightly each time and on one occasion, he thought he saw a smile creep across his face. It disappeared as soon as he realised what he was doing!  
Below them, they could see trolls of all sizes and backgrounds searching the countryside for any traces of their objective target and her accomplices. They all had the white, shining eyes of the possessed villagers seen in the cathedral town.  
Alice pondered. "How could they all be effected! Were quite far from the cathedral city." Alice suspected that it had something to do with the water of purity but she couldn't prove anything yet.  
"Hold on!" shouted griffon. "We're going higher to try and stay unnoticed. You might go a little dizzy!" He instantly regretted it as he felt Christopher hold on tightly to his skin as Alice simply held a few feathers on his crest.  
"There they are!" came a quiet cry from far below. They had been spotted.  
"So much for that idea!" said Alice complacently. "We won't have much time, head for the elders garage hanger near his house."  
Griffon sped up as they rushed towards their destination. Alice had no idea what she would encounter there.  



	13. Old folks home

Chapter 13 - Old folks home.  
  
The Griffon, laden with its passengers flew high over the outskirts of the troll village. Alice found it strange and curious that she had only left this village a couple of days ago to begin her quest to learn about he religion of wonderland. She suppose if she had known then what it would lead to, she might have conveniently forgotten about it. No! Wonderland was her world and she was going to protect it at all costs. She turned to Christopher and gazed at his complexion .She then came to the conclusion that maybe, just maybe, the quest had some merit after all. She gave him a reassuring smile and he returned it thankfully. At that moment, she sighted the elders house in the distance. The other inhabitants of the village were climbing through the gas mine shafts trying to reach the only person who had escaped the invisible corruption that had enslaved them all. They had less time than she thought.  
"Hold on Alice!" Cried the griffon. "Were going in and were going it fast"  
He dove towards the house at tremendous speed which caught both Alice and Christopher by surprise.  
They held on tightly for two reasons. One was the tremendous speed at which they were descending and the second was the trolls who had seen their approach were throwing various projectiles at them, trying to knock them out of the sky. One of them succeeded. A small yet hard stone hit Christopher in the head and he momentarily lost his grip, but a moment was long enough. He slipped down the Griffons' spine and would have fell to his death if Alice had not grabbed his hand in that split second.  
  
The griffon approached the ground with decreasing speed finally touching down gently with Christopher clinging for dear life, hanging over the griffons side. He dropped down and was followed by Alice who brandished her Ice staff and awoke it by tapping the bottom. The griffon looked around and a look of regret and frustration came across his face as several stones flew down upon them.  
"I can't stay here and wait!" he apologised. "I'll have to meet you somewhere else."  
"WHAT!" exclaimed Christopher loudly. "How the hell are we supposed to get out of this damn place then!" Alice noticed he had never lost his temper like this before!  
"Don't worry, I'm hoping the Elder can give us a ride in his balloon, if we make it!" She replied.  
The thought suddenly hit her that the elders balloon only carried one person and even so, not very steadily but she didn't want to panic her companion any more, it would only make things worse!  
The banged on the door frantically and the griffon took off back towards his eyrie. The door was locked and Alice could hear the villagers getting closer. She asked for forgiveness for what she was about to do.  
"Stand back!" she orders and pointed the staff towards the door , twisting the handle.  
The blizzard emerged from the crystal receptacle, blanketing the door in a layer of ice. Which Alice proceeded to shatter, taking the door with it. No-one was home.  
  
"Great!" said Alice "Where the hell could he be!"  
Christopher searched frantically for anything that would answer that very question when he found a single note on a small table. "I think this is for you."  
Alice snatched the note from his fingers. Cursing herself as it was very improper and very rude to snatch things. She read the note:  
"Dear Alice,  
  
I don't know what you did but it sure pissed someone off! There's a box in the cupboard in the kitchen for you. You may need what's inside! Get it and hurry to the roof. I haven't got all day!"  
  
Christopher stood in total confusion as Alice searched. Why write a note if your only upstairs! Alice found a small red box in the cupboard and opened it quickly. Inside was a watch, specifically a dead time watch. It could freeze time for a short while for everyone except herself. The only side effect was slight dizziness since your sense of balance is disrupted for a few seconds afterwards. She had little time to marvel at the small device when she heard a scream from the living room. Christopher!  
She burst into the room to see him being carried away, shoulder high (so still not very high) by the towns people who had entered with ease since the door was in pieces below the archway! Alice had forgot to seal the entrance! Christopher was blocked by a large mob so she could not save him now.  
"Your next Alice!" Cave a voice from the townspeople. It was the voice in her dream! The man in black! He was here!!  
That was enough to convince her to go to the roof where she found the elder and his balloon waiting for her!  
"GET IN, GET IN!" he yelled.   
She had no time to be ginger boarding the zeppelin and simply dived into the basket as the mob leapt after her. She silenced two of their number with a short blast from her staff as the Elder pedalled his precious balloon with fury as they flew off once again over the village. But someone was waiting for them.  
  
Konchuu was waiting below them, standing outside the elders house behind the mob which proceeded to begin wrecking the house. He watched the balloon fly across the sky towards the end of town and proceeded to run after it with incredible speed, unmatched by any human being alive. He reached the city walls at the same time as his prey and had finished playing with them.  
"SO PERISH ALL HERETICS!" He yelled out, his deep voice rumbling through the air like a clap of thunder as he pointed his wrist in their direction. His stinger flew swiftly out of his wrist accompanied by it crow like screech towards the zeppelin. It tore through the balloon like a butchers knife through a tendon releasing the precious air that kept them airborne.   
"It's no good!" The troll yelled, pedalling with every ounce of strength he had left "We're going down!"  
Alice knew well that there was a long drop below them and dying was not a pleasant alternative!  
"Can't we land anywhere?" she shouted.  
"We could crash through the Skool roof in the fortress of doors, we can just make it!" he answered apologetically. Alice knew the great library was in the skool, and landing in a skool was better than not landing at all! The air seeped through the balloon similar in the way a deep cut would drain blood, rapidly and deadly as it's driver pedalled towards the approaching fortress trying to make use of it's last moments of a machine. The fortress became clearer as they approached. A large wall was surrounding a building which was rocking from side to side. This was the skool, and it was also abandoned and haunted of the spirits of Boojums. A banshee like creature who killed it's victims with the power of it's scream, and it wasn't particular of it's targets. As they descended, Alice braced herself for the worst.  
  
Konchuu witnessed the zeppelin spiralling out of the sky with both it's pilot ad passenger holding themselves tightly as the balloon crashed into the roof of the fortress sending bits of wood an masonry flying everywhere. He smiled knowing they had survived the impact and held his wrist out once more as his stinger came flying back through the sky into it's holster, it's mission a success.  
"I know you survived Alice." He said to himself, his voice blanketed in evil. "When we meet again, you won't be so lucky!" He glared at the zeppelin sticking halfway out of the roof and vanished with a dark hum. His destination, Through the great mirror, back towards his master.  



	14. Back to Skool

Chapter 14 - Back to skool.  
  
Alice lay on the carpeted floor of the skool face up next to the Gnome elder, who was lying among pieces of broken mechanism from the propeller of his zeppelin. His feel still in the pedals attached to his feet. (Though not the bike frame anymore!) Alice stirred momentarily nursing a ferocious headache and sat up her head spinning. Her disorientation passed after a few minutes and she went over to the Elder who was still unconscious and cut in several places. Alice guessed that the injuries were not immediately life threatening so tried to rouse him by tapping his face gently. This did not work unfortunately. She looked around and gathered they had landed (more to the point, crashed) in the central hall with the fire blazing. She listened carefully listening for Boojum wails and they were only a whisper from their current position. They must be further inside. A bucket was hanging from the wall with the message "Just in case" stencilled over the side. It was a fire bucket kept for emergencies. She grabbed it off the wall, swung it three times and sloshed the water over the elder who woke with a surprised gargle.  
  
"Ouch!" he shouted holding his arm covered in scratches. He analysed his surroundings and came to the following, obvious conclusion. "We're in the skool!"  
"Really?" asked Alice sarcastically. He must have knocked his head somewhat.  
"I know that, I'm surprised we made it, we were running our of air too fast!"  
She changed the subject. "Are you alright?"  
"I think so, all my limbs here as long with most of my head. Where do you want to go now?" He asked  
"Well, I would like to go to the library to see if there anything about the religion in there."  
"Fair enough. Any signs of any boojums?"  
"Not here and they wont be in the library either. Getting out of the fortress might be a problem though."  
"We'll just have to risk it. Still got your ice staff?"  
It wasn't in her pouch so she began to look amongst the debris of the crashed zeppelin. They both over turned broken wood and timbers until Alice found it resting underneath the basket which was not attached from the rest of the balloon (like everything else all over the floor.) She strapped it around her skirt and they set off for the library together.   
The skool was a virtual labyrinth of corridors and staircases all leading different places. The skool was one of the most unusual places of learning Alice had ever come across. From all the rooms they walked past, there were no classrooms. Where in this mysterious building did the actual learning take place? The facilities were all there, along with plenty with materials, but nowhere to actually sit and learn it all. They approached a large red door after what seemed to be miles of corridors. The notice above the door read the following:  
  
"Library, Please be quiet or get expelled!"  
  
They entered the library and instead of a corridor, were several large shelves that were covered books of all different topics, colours and sizes. To the left Alice picked up a book entitled "Everything you wanted to find in a library, without getting lost" which was the skools equivalent of an index. The library being the size it was, having hundreds of thousands of volumes on everything, this book was one of the most unusual. No matter what page you started on, you would find what you were looking for without rifling through flimsy pages forever. Alice had never met a psychic book before.  
"Where do we go?" asked the elder. "I hope it not somewhere on the top! I can't be bothered with the climb.  
"There's a lift." Answered Alice. He had obviously not been here before.  
Alice opened the book and instantly found the section she was looking for. "Religion, Mythology and Metaphysics" She fan her finger down the list of available books on the subject until she found,  
"The Religion: 2nd floor, 5th shelf, 12 book from the left."  
"We have to go to the second floor, head towards the lift." Alice ordered  
The lift was extremely simple. You stood on a stone slab, told it where you wanted to be and it spiralled up to the desired floor. One of wonderlands amazing little quirks. Alice arrived at the second floor (mildly dizzy) and proceeded left to the 5th shelf.  
She opened the book and began to read:  
  
"The Religion of Wonderland  
  
The religion of wonderland is a modified version of Christianity with a militaristic order.  
It was formed during the corruption of wonderland by the Red Queen of hearts but failed to actively influence the population as the queens cards forced the populace into slavery according to her whim.  
The Hierarchy of the religion begins with the supreme cleric although this position is extremely sceptical as the priests and congregation pray to this person during sermons and celebrations.  
The priests are the next stage down from the mythical cleric. They are responsible for the sermons and the communion of prayers in the gatherings. The main place of worship has been established in the newly built Cathedral city (but it has been rumoured to have stared through the great looking glass.)  
The religion is awaiting for an opportunity expand its influence but the Queen forces constantly prevent this happening. The religions' primary goal is order amongst chaos. Communion takes place by offering a blessing to the supreme cleric and drinking the water of purity."  
  
A loud shattering noise de-railed her train of thought followed by a large piercing, shrieking noise.  
The Elder was pacing impatiently while Alice was studying. This ended abruptly as they stared into each others eyes in total dread.  
"BOOJUMS!" the both screamed.  
Alice dropped the book (which strangely enough, put itself back on the shelf) and rushed behind the shelf knocking on the handle of the staff, waking it up.   
"I'll just check the library, see where they are?" said her little friend and he dashed off.  
Alice hated boojums. When they screamed, it was like having your eardrums reach into one's head, trying to strangle your brain. Also they were incredibly hard to attack as they didn't stop moving until they attacked and by then, it was usually too late. The ice staff had a powerful effect on them, but for the wrong reasons. Being not entirely there, the particles of ice interfered with their manifestations and with enough interference, they became unable to sustain themselves and died and after all, an ice staff can put out a lot of interference.  
She heard a scream. But it didn't belong to a Boojum. She turned around the bookcase and saw her older friend running towards her with his arms flailing in the air, running as fast as he pedalled when under fire in his now wrecked balloon. He was under pursuit by a single Boojum floating in the air towards him in the same way a fish does when it swims. The pointed the staff at his attacker and opened fire. The Boojum seemed to distort and write in the air as if some great force was pulling it apart at the seams until if finally dropped onto the ground, screaming energy. It shrank into oblivion and disappeared in a whirl of energy.  
"Thanks." Said the troll, slightly out of breath. "I didn't get my pack of cards from the wreckage."  
"The person who said toys were a waste of time, was seriously mistaken!" was Alice's comeback.  
He simply nodded in agreement.  
  
"I need to find a book on this "Water of purity" I'm sure it'll be in the same section somewhere?" Alice no longer had the index book so finding it could have been a problem. However it's not just the books in the library that have a mind of it's own. A single book flew out of the shelf and almost collided with Alice's head. It landed on the floor with a thud and opened by itself. "Try this?" the book appeared to say. Alice looked at the open page while the Elder just looked confused.  
  
"Water of purity:  
  
A chemical combination of certain unique elements and minerals diluted with water. It has been suggested this unique formation originated in the other side of the great looking glass in contrast to ordinary water. It's exact chemical structure is unknown as certain elements within it are constantly changing. When consumed orally or nasally, it hightens the telepathic communication centres of the brain that normally lie dormant within ordinary humans. Although this does not allow the victim telepathy, it does allow them susceptible to external telepathic or hypnotic suggestions. Can be deadly if entered into the bloodstream as it can suspend cardiac activity."  
  
"That's how they're controlling the people!" exclaimed Alice. "It's mind control, but I don't know anyone who's psychic enough to do it!"  
"Maybe if we, destroyed the water source, it's effects would wear off." Suggested the Elder  
"It means a trip through the looking glass. At least now we know what to look for and what to do when we find it!" replied Alice. She then remembered there was a portal from the observatory nearby to the fungiferous forest. Caterpillar would want to hear of this. When they did find the source of the water, they would need something to neutralise it.  
"We'd better go to the chemistry lab and make some sort of distillation for the water" suggested the troll.  
"As long as I don't have to wear a pinny, lets go!" replied Alice.  



	15. Fancy a brew?

Chapter 15 - Fancy a brew?  
  
The chemistry lab was very strange. It seemed like a lecture hall with benches on either side with many strange chemicals and ingredients stored in nearby cupboards with bizarre mixing equipment on the centre table. Almost anything could be brewed up here. Alice had made a shrinking potion with the help of the Elder before but what they were making now was quite different so Alice had brought the book along for reference.  
They both stood looking at the mixing machine, neither of them knowing where to start.  
"Tell you what," began the elder "I'll get the ingredients, you tell me what we need."  
"Right, lets get started!" replied Alice as she opened the book. She began to read:  
  
"The water of life is an especially potent telepathic enhancer so to counter-balance the effect, a strong suppressant is needed. The following mixture has been known to neutralise the water in certain people. (normal side effects include headaches, dizziness, nausea and temporary flatulence.   
(Effects are in the extreme but last no longer than 20 minutes)   
The ingredients and instructions in order are as follows:  
  
One pint of water. (As a base.)  
The seeds of 2 poppy plants (To sedate the affected brain centres.)  
Apply heat  
A small amount of citric acid (To improve the flavour.)  
Ashes of a Boojum (To enhance the effects)  
Translucent organic catalyst. (To act as an anchor to counter the instability of the water.)  
  
Add all the ingredients in a litre beaker and add the catalyst when the mixture comes to the boil. When the potion turns white, it is completed. Not much is needed to counter the water of purity."  
  
"I think we can get all of those ingredients." Said the elder. "After all water is pretty easy to acquire as there's a tap over there." He ran over to the sink, filled the appropriate beaker with water and placed it on the heater (Which was currently switched off).  
"Poppy seeds?" he thought to himself wondering where they would find some. Alice knew there was a poppy in the nearby flowerpot so she plucked one of the flowers and begin to grind away the petals until she collected the seeds in a small cup.  
"Do we put them in once at a time, or all together?" she asked. Alice's knowledge of chemistry was not altogether extensive.  
"Just drop them all in I suppose!" he replied and she did as she was told.  
The seeds plopped into the water and settled at the bottom with no immediate effect. The elder examined the beaker closely and noticed that a strange powder was emerging from the seeds and mixing in the water. "I think I'd better take care of this, you should go out and get those boojum ashes."  
"Oh joy!" said Alice sarcastically as she picked up her ice staff and marched out of the lab.  
"She should come back in one piece." Thought the troll to himself. "We'll need her alive!"  
Alice began patrolling the corridors of the skool the same way an assassin would creep up on it's prey. The only difference being that the assassin would know where it's prey was and Alice had no idea. She had never deliberately come into the school looking for trouble and the last time she had expected trouble, her closest friend was taken away by civilians under the influence of the dammed water of purity. She wondered what they would be doing to Christopher at this minute, he had seen enough horrors in care of the hatter and he did not deserve to be treated badly. She suddenly caught herself feeling fondly for someone. It was surprising because during her years at the asylum, no-one had cared for her so she returned the affections (or lack of them!)  
  
A sudden chill ran through the air and Alice felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand on end as well s the Goosebumps rising on her arms. She heard a breathing right behind her making her freeze in terror (and the breath was cold as well.) She gulped and turned around slowly, slightly expecting to be blasted when she met her eyes on a…………..  
The Boojum screamed at the top of its voice hitting her like a steam locomotive and throwing her 20 feet down the corridor slamming her into the adjoining door connecting to the stairs. She shook her head to sober herself up from the impact just in time to see the boojum floating down the corridor getting ready for another one of its deadly choruses. It screamed once more but Alice threw herself on the floor allowing the shock-wave to pass harmlessly above her into the door which proceeded to burst into flames and melt away. She slammed the handle of her staff on the floor and fired in the direction of the boojum. Strangely enough, the boojum flew over the ice blast and disappeared through the melted door into the stairway. Alice got up and gave chase, ice staff fuming in her hands.  
Alice had usually never missed a target, this boojum was quite agile for it's kind, that would make killing it a little bit harder, but it would die sooner or later.  
She had trailed it back into the library where the hole in the glass roof had repaired itself blocking the entrance for boojums outside and her prey was attempting to shatter it once again using it's screams. The glass was beginning to crack however, now had to be the time.   
The ice staffs range would not reach it's target so she unsheathed her vorpal blade and threw it at her assailant and it imbedded itself in the boojums chest, causing no significant damage but getting its attention. The knife disappeared from the boojums chest and reappeared in Alice's hand who then put it back in her pouch, readying the ice staff at the same time.  
The atmosphere felt similar to one of a mighty joust. The boojum was charging towards Alice, its eyes burning with the fire it held inside its floating body, preparing to unleash a deadly scream at it's young target whereas Alice was standing perfectly still. She had pointed the fuming staff directly at the oncoming beast, her green eyes staring directly into her attackers as if trying to out stare her opponent until he broke. They grew closer and closer as the boojum flew faster and faster!  
Alice fired her blizzard covering the boojum who screamed at the same time knocking her flying into the wall behind her, momentarily knocking her senseless but she was the victor once again.  
The boojum stood screaming as the fire it contained erupted through it's mouth, roasting itself in the blaze of exorcism leaving a pile of ash on the floor, which Alice scooped up with a glass the elder had given her. She looked up at the creatures flying around outside screaming in their eternal misery but remaining outside. "Sorry gentlemen." Said Alice with a curious smile. "No screaming in the library please!"  
  
She returned to the chemistry lab where a slightly impatient troll was stood, crossed armed tapping one foot. "Are you ok?" he asked  
"Just a few bruises but I'll be alright" she replied and handed over the Boojum ash.  
He had already added the citric acid to add flavour. After all, who would want to drink something that had boojum ashes in it. They were bad enough when they were alive! The liquid was a bubbling bright yellow and the troll added the boojum ashes turning it into a dark black liquid that had a sense of forbidding about it. The jar let out a sudden high pitched scream as it releasing the last essence of it's new ingredient. The last ingredient had them both stumped.  
  
"translucent organic catalyst?" asked Alice. "What's that?"  
The troll made a poor attempt to know the answer.  
"Well," he began, unsure "a catalyst is something that speeds up a reaction and organic means it should come from a being or monster, but translucent? I don't know where to begin?"  
Alice thought deeply. Catalyst. Cat? He could be quite translucent at times. Appearing at one minute and gone the next. Not exactly sound, but it was worth a try.  
"Cat!" Alice shouted out. "Come here please, we need you!"  
His tell-tale chiming rung out and his head appeared from out of nowhere. His stubborn simplicity and impatience was frustrating. "Yes?" he said, simply.  
"Do you know anything about what we need as a catalyst?"  
He knew the answer but he didn't like it.  
"Yes, you must use one of my hairs to add to your mixture. Only one though!" and the rest of his body appeared on his silent command.  
Alice plucked a short hair from his back which made him wince and cry out in a distinctly feline way and added it to the bubbling potion. A large explosion emerged from the top of the vial throwing all the people (and felines) off their feet. Alice and the Elder looked closely at the vial which (if they didn't know any better) seemed to contain normal water. The Cheshire cat rubbed his back and with a scornful look on his face. "Well done, but go and see caterpillar."  
Alice and the Elder proceeded through the library into the Observatory where a portal stood above a large globe leading a path to the fungiferous forest. Alice prepared to jump through.  
"Are you coming?" she asked.  
"No," replied the troll. "I'm going to try and repair the balloon so I can help you in the attack soon. Just tell caterpillar and tell him what's happening."  
"knowing him, he'll already know! But just to be on the safe side, I'll tell him anyway. And maybe he knows what they did to Christopher." Her face dropped at the mention of her, now lost friend.   
"I'm sorry about what happened." Said the troll and gestured towards the shimmering portal.  
Alice put the small vial of water in her dress pocket and lumped through the portal.  
The troll walked back towards the wreckage of his balloon near the skools roof. "I'd better make a start, there's not much time!"  



	16. Back down the garden path

Chapter 16 - Back down the garden path.  
  
Alice didn't appreciate travelling through wonderland for several reasons. Firstly, There was no joy in the experience of the journey. One simply stepped through the portal and your journey was over, many a thought has been collected and processed on a long journey and this was not the case by portal. Secondly, (and primarily) usually for her, she landed with a (painful) heavy thump leaving one aching for a few minutes afterwards. However, Alice had no time to ponder her dis-comfortshire s the attack to get her into the looking glass realm was to commence shortly and her allies needed her present so their distraction would have a reason. She fought her way through huge forests (she had reduced in size once again, so the forest was a normal sized flowerbed) until she came to a path. She followed it until she cam to the signpost once again from another direction. It seemed to be sleeping so she thought I best not to disturb him. She attempted to sneak past him onto the path towards the caterpillar until she realised the paths seemed to have changed. This meant, unfortunately, waking the signpost which he would not appreciate.  
  
She knocked on his wooden pole making him jump into consciousness the same way a cricket would leap over a blade of grass. He was not impressed and scowled at her sternly.  
"Oh, its you!" he sneered. "I thought it would be someone important!"  
Alice was slightly offended but had no time for an argument.  
"Yes, it's me! All the paths have changed, how could that happen?"  
"I changed them!" He said with an air of prideful authority. "The paths are the same but all of the destinations have changed. I have to change every now and then." He explained "Keeps me busy you see."  
"Not really, in fact it's quite confusing!" Alice replied, slightly irritated.  
"Please yourself!" he said. "What do you want anyway?"  
"I need to see the caterpillar again."  
"Oh, him! Yes well I couldn't change his path for fear he may uproot me. He still waits in the direction of the great tree." And erected one of his arms in the appropriate direction. Alice wasted no time and began to run along the displayed route towards the tree.  
"You're welcome!" he said to himself and proceeded to go back to sleep, folding his arms.  
  
Alice ran across the path and game upon the gateway to the mushroom grove and stepped through it. (She was relieved not to be dropped when she reached the other end.) Before her stood her insect friend smoking as always. Alice wondered if he ever moved from his place in the garden? The only occasion when he appeared to change location was when he advised her in the fiery realm before her encounter with the jabberwock (still smoking of course). His advice however was invaluable no-matter where he was located and had always helped her in her efforts against the Queen of Hearts. She approached him silently, to no avail as he was always aware of her most silent approach.  
"Yes Alice, why are you here?" he asked in his calm, methodical voice.  
"Don't you know?"   
"For once I don't!" he said (much to Alice's surprise) "I am aware of the approaching battle you have planned, organised as ever. I just hope it works!"  
This un-nerved Alice as his predictions were usually more definite!  
"Can't you tell me if I will succeed."  
"The attack will succeed as a distraction," this relieved Alice but his faraway look became more strained as if to see a target many miles away "but I cannot tell as to your events through the great looking glass. I never could see into there very well."  
"Well at least I'll get in there, that's some comfort." Her voiced brightened up, then receded in fear. "Do you know anything about this dark person I saw in my dream?" The topic seemed forbidden to her (mostly as she had avoided it). The caterpillar inhaled deeply and began to speak.  
  
"The dark figure you refer to is Konchuu," he began "and he is the assassin for the Religion to dispose of the most stubborn of heretics." He paused her and shot her a serious look "This means you Alice! You will have to get past him to get to the cleric. It is rumoured the water of purity runs through him making him extremely hard to kill! Be vigilant and he may fall." He returned to earth from the future.  
"If I were you Alice, I'd cover your throat from time to time. It's the spot he aims for!" He smiled a sinister smile which made Alice shiver in fear. She was comforted by the chimes which heralded the approach of Cat. "He must have returned from the chess realm?" thought Alice.  
He materialised on a leaf just above caterpillar looking as serious as he could be despite his never ending smile.  
"You forces are in position Alice," he began "The chessmen have loaned you a platoon of their pieces, they would appreciate it if you didn't sustain so many casualties."  
"I understand." Alice acknowledged "Anything else?"  
"Yes, I believe Griffin is on his way as well and I suggest you come immediately. The pieces are getting restless!" And with that closure he vanished, presumably to view the conflict.  
"Could you help me get there please?" Alice asked caterpillar, curtsying to show good impressions.  
He inhaled a large amount of his narcotic and blew a large smoke circle which formed a portal. On the other side seemed to be dozens of white chess pieces formed in lines (pawns in front of course!) all awaiting orders.   
"Good luck Alice" Caterpillar gestured, and she stepped (hesitantly) through the portal.  
  
She materialised in front of a great line of chessmen who heralded her approach with a grand cheer. The rooks all raised there polarms as the pawns jumped wildly about.  
"ATTENTION!!" snapped a voice from the back  
Immediately all the pieces stopped and stood erect, instinctively.  
Alice looked above them to see a single queen tapping her baton in authority. She stood to attention in front of Alice. "Greetings, Ma'am. All available troops are here for the attack"  
"It's not an attack." Corrected Alice "NO-one is to be executed, you are to provide a distraction until I can get through the looking glass, understood"  
The Queen agreed somewhat disheartened. "When do we begin?" She asked.  
Alice wished she could tell her. Griffon had promised some aerial cover but he was nowhere to be seen. She assumed (and hoped) he was on his way. She decided to take a risk as the day was drawing to a close and the sunlight was disappearing steadily  
"Straight away, before it gets too dark." She replied "I'll follow after the first lines have advanced and try to break through."  
"What kind of resistance are we expecting?"  
Alice pointed towards the fringe of the town and pointed. "That kind!"  
The direction she was pointing ended with dozens of civilians armed with anything they could find. Torches, swords, mallets even planks of wood and all of them had the same glowing eyes from the effects of the water of purity.   
Alice examined the forces in her command. 4 Rooks, 6 Knights, 2 Bishops and a dozen pawns. This seemed to be adequate to at least put up a decent front until she was through and if the griffon was coming, they could have the advantage. Alice signalled the queen and ran behind a large knight.  
One way or another, this was going to end. Alice preferred it if there were no casualties. Her especially! She prayed that Christopher was still alive when she passed through the mirror but it was too late for that now as the Rooks and knights began to march forward. The attack had begun!!  



	17. Once more unto the breach

Chapter 17 - Once more unto the breach.  
  
The pieces were working their way slowly across the fields towards the awaiting possessed townsfolk.  
If there orders were to wipe them out, the battle would be over very quickly but they were ordered to push them aside so Alice could enter the great looking glass. One of the bishops shot a red beam of light into the air which exploded fiercely. At that signal, all of the advancing pieces charged forward, roaring with ferocity and determination. The two lines met on the edge of the town and crashed into each other. The townsfolk were putting up stiff resistance as several pawns were thrown into the air, landing dazed and confused. The knights were furiously bashing people about with their shields and the rooks were punching people with all their vast strength. The battle seemed to be going their way as the peasants were being forced back towards the town centre, towards the cathedral.   
The noise of the battle was intense and thunder began to boom loudly overhead but this did not drown out the ghostly chime which preceded the ever grinning Cheshire cat.   
"The masses are retreating, now is the moment Alice" he said. "Seize it!"  
"I agree Alice." Seconded the queen. "You could always add your staff if you need to!"  
Alice was already running down the hill and into the town, her ice staff fuming with cold and pointed at the nearest person she could see. She looked above but there was still no sign of the griffon, however if things continued to go the way they were, he wouldn't be needed.  
She struck one villager over the head with the staffs handle and proceeded to reduce another one to a solid ice statue. She stepped back onto someone and turned around swiftly, ice staff at the ready. She quickly stopped herself when she realised it was one of her rooks who was busy wrestling some poor demented man to the ground. She didn't notice the woman creeping up behind her with a carving knife ready to slice through her neck and decapitate her until it was too late. She turned around and froze with shock to see the fury behind those glowing eyes and the lightning reflecting, yet highlighting the terror of the shining blade she held firmly in her hand as the rose it above her head ready to plunge into her. Then something happened. A grey shadow swept in front of Alice and swiftly slit the throat of the woman who fell to the floor, gargling in her own blood.   
Alice turned to see the Cheshire cat with his back arched and his claws protruding from his paws, stained with blood. He gave Alice a sinister look as if to say "your welcome", retracted his claws and vanished. The villagers were surrounded in front of the large doors of the cathedral. A separate path lead off around it to the great looking glass, Alice's target.   
The tension mounted as the chessmen forces glared menacingly at their prey who had fallen in number as most of them lay unconscious on the road leading up to their current location. Their weapons gleamed menacing, reflecting the occasional but booming bolts of lightning overhead.  
The moment passed briefly.  
The cathedral doors burst open and scores of people armed with torches flooded out of the cathedral, led by the priest who was under the same possession as his followers. The chessmen were overwhelmed in one single torrent of aggressive fury as the villages simply charged straight into them fighting with every ounce of strength they could muster until they all looked skywards searching for a screeching noise that sounded like an eagle. The griffon had arrived.  
"Everyone!" he yelled "Drop!" and he threw his bombs towards the ground.  
  
Alice and the chess pieces threw themselves towards the floor as the bombs all landed with a thud.  
A brief chorus of "Pop goes the weasel" played merrily until they all exploded violently throwing the enemy back into the cathedral doors knocking half of their number into a deep coma and some others simply into a stupefied state. Alice helped the chess men back onto their bases (as they were quite stuck an unable to re-assert themselves without help) and they all surveyed the scene. The villagers and clergy were all either out cold or rambling profusely, totally out of their minds and no use to no one.  
Alice was reminded of some of the inmates of the asylum as she looked down upon their writing forms as they tossed about in total dementia, their eyes wide open which unnerved her as she and her forces had caused this horror. She looked back towards her platoon who was now resting their weary limbs (Alice thought they deserved another coat of polish as their surface had become quite scratched and battered in the turmoil of battle.) and was approached by the griffon in the majestic splendour of his mighty wings and strong frame.  
"You were just in time!" Alice said, slightly smiling. "If you'd have arrived a moment later, I don't know what we'd have done."  
"I'm glad I arrived when I did, Alice" he replied. His face became serious. "I'll take you to the mirror, hop on." He gestured towards his back and Alice mounted him and they followed the path to the mirror.  
"I can't follow you through the mirror you know." The griffon said, regrettably "You must fight this battle alone."  
"Great!" replied Alice in a huff. "I just hope Christopher's alright if, I mean when I find him!"  
"He's hiding something Alice." said Griffon "I can't tell what it is, but there's something not right about him.  
"I've got to help him whether you like him or not!"  
"Very well Alice. Just be careful!" She slided of his wing as they approached the looking glass.   
It was a single person mirror simply standing at the end of the path. It leaded to a realm where normality became its opposite. It was where the hatter had been corrupted and tried to kill Alice last time she was here. She stepped towards the glass and was about to step through when she was stopped by the griffon.  
"One second Alice!" he called out "the Troll told me to give you this"  
He unfolded his wing revealing a blunderbuss. This was the most powerful weapon in wonderland and still it took many shots to kill the Queen of hearts. Now Alice was worried.  
"Just in case!" the griffon said.  
She readied the blunderbuss, nodded in appreciation and stepped through the glass.  
The moment she vanished, the villagers awoke from their states and the battle was raging once again.  
"Hurry up Alice!" the griffon shouted "I don't think we can hold them off for long!"  
  
Alice appeared in front of the looking glass cathedral whose very appearance was enough to strike fear into any mortal being as it wreaked of evil out of every window. Alice heard a scream coming from within. It was Christopher! She opened the doors and rushed into the cathedral, blunderbuss at the ready. She was running down the corridors of the cathedral passing scores of empty pews and sanctums which all emanated a dark presence as she ran past them, following the sound of the screams of her most dearest friend. He had already gone through a great deal of pain and suffering in his life and she felt id did not deserve to end like this, being sacrificed in an evil place controlled by the corrupt religion. She turned the last corner and gasped as the sight that befell her was truly a picture of horror!!  
  
In front of her was the main sanctuary of the cathedral an tied to the altar dripping with blood was Christopher. He was now unconscious but his mouth was bloody as if something had been ripped from his mouth with great force. Standing over him was a dark figure dressed in robes of black chanting in an unfamiliar language was the Cleric of the Religion of wonderland.   
"He is what I must kill!" thought Alice. "This is the new festering wound of Wonderland!"  
As if in answer to her thoughts, the Cleric looked up with eyes similar to his possessed minions only instead of white, shining bright red eyes I which were centred where his face would normally be except it was missing! He began to speak with a voice that would drain a persons soul and replace it with total fear.  
"You cannot control my minions Alice and you will die sooner than your friend here!"  
He began to glide towards her, arms outstretched ready to wrench the life out of this beings neck when Alice raised the blunderbuss. The red bishops voice echoed in her head from the past. "The cleric is not the one!" She shrugged it off carelessly and fired.  
The force of the blast threw Alice further back down the central isle and the blunderbuss shell impacted with the cleric with a violent explosion of fire and pure energy. He screamed in agony and vanished in an inferno of green flames leaving a pile of ashes on the floor.  
  
She picked herself up and ran over to Christopher who was awakened by the blast and was now screaming once again. He looked up into Alice's face and stopped.  
"I thought I was dead Alice?" he said very weakly as if the life had been drained from him.  
"No Christopher, I had to come and get you, I think I love you." Alice replied with tears in her eyes.   
She cut his bounds with her vorpal blade and helped him onto his feet. He stood with great difficulty and started to shake all over.  
"Hold on Chris!" she said comfortingly "We're getting out of here!"  
Christopher took Alice in his arms and they embraced. Alice felt a surge of warmth flow through her as they held each other. She had never felt this strongly about anyone before and she had risked her life to find him.   
She felt warm.   
She felt secure.  
Until…..  
Christopher snatched Alice's vorpal blade from her hand and drove it through her stomach opening her up and spilling her blood onto the floor in a pool around her dark boots.   
She felt sharp steel!  
She felt pain!  
She looked up into his eyes searching for an answer as to why. But all she found was despair.  
He was staring at her with soulless eyes and his face was twisted with a combination of immense hatred and incredible evil. She backed away and slumped down in front of the alter in total disbelief.  
  
Christopher began to morph into a dark figure of a man. An evil man yet strangely familiar.  
Then she remembered with the last energies she had. This was Konchuu. She had been tricked.  
"Surprise Alice." Konchuu said, his voice bristling with contempt. "I love you too!"  
Alice screamed with all her might!  
"NNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!"  
She slipped into unconsciousness covered in her own blood and her own tears as the last thing she saw and heard was his evil laugh as his stinger crunched into her head.  
"no!" she whispered.   
And fell into darkness in front of the dark alter.  



	18. The Dark Fountain of the Religion

Chapter 18 - The Dark Fountain of the Religion  
  
Alice awoke with an intense feeling of dizziness as if she had consumed sever gallons of banderscotch in succession with no interval. She felt as if she couldn't move her hands or feet, she was so dizzy; when she realised she couldn't move because she had been restrained. She raised her head as high as she could to see what was happening to her. She was still in the cathedral in it's blackened state; with its stained glass windows reflecting the picture of the cleric defeating a group of peasants in an inferno of green flame watched by Konchuu. Another showed Konchuu lying before a great gargoyle covering him in water. Water! Alice surmised that if Konchuu had the water of life flowing through him, this was the means of how he replenished his energies in the same way humans bathe and it must have soaked into him while he was submersed. If she poured her antidote on him he would be finished.  
Her train of thought was stopped suddenly by the echoing sound of footfalls on stone floor as Konchuu entered from the chamber behind the alter in his black assassins clothing, wrist stinger gleaming with sharpness as he stood over her waving his wrist around her throat in a circling action. He was thinking about slitting it at his slightest whim. She'd better be careful about what she said.  
  
"Don't worry about your wounds Alice," he began; his deep voice rumbling around the halls of the cathedral "I've taken care of them. We don't want you to die. At not yet!" He smiled.  
Alice smiled back as sarcastically as she could.  
"What have you don't with Christopher?" she demanded.  
He began to pace around the alter, his face smiling with some form of malicious pride and twisted evil evermore brandishing the stinger which poked through his wrist, nestling it between his fingers  
"Christopher has been dead for some time Alice, Several years in fact!"  
"That's impossible!" remarked Alice. "He lived in the White chess realm for years after his release from the Mad Hatter"  
The smile on Konchuu's face became reinforced, he was enjoying himself.  
"What did he tell you while you were on the way to the cathedral city."  
"He was a prisoner of the hatter for months until someone released him."  
"Did he say who?" His points were all leading somewhere  
"Some priest in a church, I think. It's hard to remember when you're being restrained!"  
Konchuu's wrist sharply pointed towards her head and his stinger flowed into the alter narrowly missing her ear. She instinctually screamed.  
"Almost right!" he replied and pulled the stinger free of the table "He said he was visited by a dark person in the church and his mind went black after that, correct?"  
"I think so?" said Alice. She began to feel nervous.  
"Well, I was the one who visited him and the reason why he couldn't remember anything was that he never left that place! I killed him in that altar and absorbed his life essence. Christopher died that day!"  
Alice began to cry. She didn't want to believe it.  
"That's not true, I knew a kind and loving boy who I cared for and I demand to know where he is!"  
Konchuu slammed his fist on his chest.  
"He is in here!" he yelled. Suddenly his form blurred and reassert itself in Christopher's form with his stinger still in place. "Look now Alice, I remember our escape from the tavern. You should have listened to the Griffon and that retched Cat of yours! They felt my presence! You were blinded by your pathetic emotion!"  
Alice couldn't believe it. He had been following her ever since the Chess realm, through the city and in the griffons' eyrie. But the town when Christopher had been carried away by the possessed mob?  
"What about his capture?!" Alice said as the tears rolled down he cheeks pooling on the marble alter.  
"I had to orchestrate my return here to report to the Cleric." He replied "I took an opportunity to exterminate you once more but you only crashed into the Skool in the Fortress."  
This proved to Alice, he was not as flawless as he seemed and found comfort, but only slightly.  
"Nobody's perfect!" laughed Alice.  
  
"I wouldn't say that" Konchuu replied as he began to return to his normal form, letting the stinger writhe around him like a venomous snake looking for it's prey. "I have followed you all the way here and even as we speak your puny forces are being eradicated once more on the other side of the looking glass. Our communion water gains their obedience and they don't even know what they're doing!"  
He gestured over to a hideous gargoyle that poured a clear liquid from its gaping mouth. If Alice could destroy this source? If the cleric was not the one to destroy the religion, this might be the way to do it!  
"Your time has ended Alice and your Wonderland is no longer under your control!" His menacing speech was instrumental as he unsheathed Alice's vorpal blade from his leg and pointed it at her throat.  
"No-one can help you in this domain Alice! Your friends have abandoned you! You are alone and helpless now. Good bye Alice!"  
She screamed loudly as he thrust the knife towards her jugular veins preparing to slice them open and release the precious liquid of her life bringing her existence in both world to an end. When he stopped!  
The blade was resting slightly away from her neck as she looked to see what was happening. Konchuu was quivering and was trying with all his might to kill his intended victim but something was holding him back. She suddenly noticed his knife arm phase out of shape and into Christopher's arm! He was in there somewhere and he was trying to help. Konchuu's arm began to move away from her throat and towards the chains which bound her to the alter. She willed Christopher on with every thought she could muster until after a loud noise, the knife had sliced through all the chains!  
Alice sprang up as Konchuu momentarily regained control and swung the knife towards her leaving a deep gash in her leg as blood spilled from her would. She fell screaming off the alter clutching her leg in pain trying to stop the bleeding to no avail. She glanced back at Konchuu who was fighting with himself, struggling to regain control of his body. He fired his stinger in her direction but his aim was way off as his body was writhing where it stood. He threw her an evil look with his soulless eyes and began to snarl like a wild animal when his eyes suddenly became blue and his face, less pale.  
He spoke with Christopher's voice!  
"ALICE!" he screamed with all his might, "THE FOUNTAIN!!"  
Alice began to crawl her way towards the watering gargoyle dragging her badly bleeding leg behind her as she frantically pawed her way to the fountain. Konchuu became aware of her once again and started to walk towards her but struggling as if walking through concrete, Christopher's essence was still fighting but it wouldn't last forever.  
  
Alice pulled out the ice staff and banged the handle on the floor sending plumes of sheet ice out of the crystal orifice. She took one final look at Konchuu who was winning the internal battle as he was gaining speed and control with every step. His blue eyes began to fade and what was left of her friend spoke for the last time. He was screaming every word out with every ounce of strength  
"Alice I cannot fight anymore! Please destroy the water!"  
The blue eyes turned soulless black as the last of his essence died away leaving the evil Konchuu in a weakened state but still moving towards her, his stinger flailing about wildly.  
She thrusted the staff down the gargoyle throat and fired!  
Konchuu yelled. "NO!"  
The blast began to freeze all the water stored in the gargoyle and the mighty cathedral began to shake as if the very foundations of it were crumbling beneath it. The Glass in the windows exploded violently as the ground heaved with a mighty roar bringing rafters collapsing down from the ceiling above them smashing rows of seats in a hailstorm of destruction.  
Alice didn't stop however. She held the staff in the freezing fountain determined to end its reign of terror.  
Through the other side of the looking glass, the earth was rumbling and roaring with the might force of death as the battle between the villagers and the white chessmen raged on as both sides totally ignored the immense force beneath them. The Griffon however knew better. He arched his wigs and flew into the sky to watch what happening from above. The eyes of the villagers began to fade from the shining light back to their normal colour and they all started to drop lifelessly to the ground one by one.  
"All forces Retreat!" he screeched at the top of his voice and all the remaining pawns, knights and rooks began to run for their lives away from the village which was beginning to crumble around them.  
After several minutes of violent destruction and chaos the rumbling slowed and the ground began to stop heaving. Alice removed the ice staff from the gargoyle as all the water gushing from it had frozen to ice. Her leg was still bleeding profusely and was also quite painful so she ripped a segment from a nearby alter-cloth and bandaged her would as best as she could and looked towards her enemy.  



	19. The Demise of the Darkness

Chapter 19 - The demise of the darkness.  
  
Konchuu was squirming wildly underneath several large rafters which had fallen on top of him from the roof, almost crushing the life out of him. He seemed to be bleeding water of purity from every pore of his now crunched frame and his stinger was swirling around him in the throws of it's masters slow demise. Alice through her blade at it, severing the cord which connected it to it's master, throwing it lifelessly to the floor beside the alter. Alice carefully stood up putting as little effort as she could onto her bleeding leg and began to walk towards her crushed adversary. One of his arms and legs had been broken completely and now lay at bizarre angles which were unnatural. (They were the wrong way round!) Alice face grimaced at this horrible sight. She had seen horrors at Rutlages, but it was nothing compared to a person, still alive with their body horrible crushed laying in a tangled mess. She stood silently for a moment in respect when Konchuu's arm suddenly sprang to life and seized her injured leg making her collapse screaming to the floor in a surge of extreme pain. His voice seemed broken but regaining strength every minute. He was regenerating!  
Alice suddenly remembered her antidote for the water of purity and pulled it from her pocket. Konchuu's face fixed on it's first fearful look that she had ever seen as the poured a small dose of the liquid onto the arm that held her injured leg.  
The effect was immediate. The arm began to bubble and melt away as it reacted violently with the pure water running through his veins and spilling onto the floor. He screamed in extreme agony as his arm gradually dissolved away. Alice wasted no time and threw he small vial at his dented torso spilling the last remnants of her antidote all over his body.  
His torso, his face and his legs were all splashed with the water and began to melt away simultaneously. Alice couldn't bear to look as his screams brought down dust from the roof and started to shake the ground once more, but this was not like before.  
The walls of the cathedral began to surge and grow in places and rays of light burst through the dark altar onto the walls and roof as if trying to hold the cathedral together in its throws of death and failing. A large piece of rafting smashed next to Alice making her realise that the cathedral was about to either collapse or explode at any second! She picked up her blade from near the now emaciated body of konchuu who was now almost a skeleton with brief lumps of flesh clinging to his corpse. The skull still had eyes and glared at Alice in his final words.  
"I'LL BE BACK ALICE! YOU CANNOT DEFEAT ME!" and he began to laugh insanely.  
His laughter ended as a supporting stone pillar collapsed onto his corpse smashing his skull and sending a dark shadow whirling out of his body, out of one of the smashed windows and disappearing into wonderland.   
  
The prospect of his return was not Alice's primary concern as a large pile of debris had fallen over the doors to the cathedral blocking her only escape. He reached for the nearby blunderbuss and blasted towards the door. The force simply brought more masonry and wood crashing down from above almost crushing her as it had done to her enemy. She frantically looked around for any means of escape from the place that was rapidly turning into her tomb. The windows were too high up to climb and all doors were either blocked or smashed by falling rubble, except the door behind the altar which was glowing light. She scrambled her way towards the door, dodging falling rubble from the roof and saw the mirror on the other side leading her way back to the town!   
She leaped for the mirror as the remains of the cathedral came thundering down from above attempting to bury her with no pillars to support it. It was all going to end in these next vital seconds.  
She dived with all her might and felt cool air as her fingers passed through the mirror but was stopped by a chunk of the rafters which landed on her legs making her scream with agony. She looked back and saw the dark alter growing brighter and brighter with every passing moment. It was about to explode!  
With her last fragments of strength she dragged her body through the mirror just as the altar exploded with an extremely powerful force of evil, totally destroying the cathedral and several buildings surrounding it in a bright ball of bright light and an immensely huge fireball accompanied by huge explosion which seemed to rip through the air and anything near it.  
The Cathedral on both sides of the looking glass had been destroyed in the most powerful blast wonderland and the real world had ever seen. The looking glass however stood firm. A legacy to the contrast of the good and dark sides of wonderland.  
  
Alice was awakened by a vague, white shape was gliding over her. She had taken a rather heavy blow to the head and her vision was in temporary shock. It was a strong smell of tea that had filled her nostrils and revived her from her deep unconsciousness.  
"I cant see very well!" she said weakly, her voice nothing more than a whisper.  
"Don't worry Alice" said a familiar voice.  
"There's nothing to see." Said another voice this one deeper.  
She recognised the voices to be those of the Griffon and the Cheshire cat and she smiled. Although she could not see them very well, their voices were a comfort to no end.  
"What happened?" She asked. "And where am I?"  
"You did it Alice!" the griffon replied. "When you froze the water of purity from the statue, all the villagers returned to normal and stopped fighting us."  
"We all had to run from the explosion!" retorted the cat. "I'm not quite sure of what you did in there but it was enough to completely obliterate the cathedral and several adjoining buildings."  
His tone sounded angry, but Alice knew he was pleased. Not because he was smiling though.  
"That was the altar." She said weakly. She coughed for a moment, took a deep refilling breath and continued. "It exploded taking everything that was in the cathedral with it."  
"What about the assassin?" Griffon asked, intently.  
"He went to pieces!" joked Alice smiling. "The Elder and I created an antidote to the water and when I threw it over him, he melted away!"  
Everyone breathed a sigh of relief on hearing this. The griffon started to speak.  
"I found you lying unconscious in the scorched remains of the cathedral. I carried you back to the Eyrie and I've been helping you return to health."  
"I beg your pardon!?" interrupted the cat  
"Sorry," he apologised "WE'VE been helping you."  
"Your little ordeal nearly killed you." Said Cat seriously.  
Alice felt it wise not to tell anyone of Konchuu's final threat to her that he would return, no sense in worrying anyone quite yet.  
"Rest now Alice." ordered the Griffon "You've still got a long way to come before your fully better."  
Alice closed her eyes and rested her head against a bunch of soft feathers and drifted silently into sleep. She would never forget what Christopher had done for her in the cathedral. She also felt that the special moment she shared with him was not Konchuu in disguise, but true feelings shared between two real people who loved.  



	20. A moment in the meadow....

Chapter 20 - A moment in the meadow.  
  
Several miles away, in the clear blue sky's over the Wonderland meadows. Two smartly dressed, small rabbits were playing chase with other among the many flowerbeds and past the silver, shining streams as happy as any two rabbits could be. (Rabbits seem to have a peculiarity for chasing each other and being followed you see.) They both stopped and looked towards a bush that was shaking violently. They hurried towards it in case some small animal had got tangled up in the reeds of the nearby stream and needed assistance in becoming un-stuck. They saw that it was a small black insect similar to another rabbit but with a long braiding of hair that folded back between his now erect ears.  
"Are you stuck sir?" one of the rabbits asked politely.  
The figure did not reply.  
The braid of hair violently swished from behind his head with a screeching noise knocking one of the rabbits onto the floor in a fit of tears. The both got up and ran back towards their burrow screaming at the top of their lungs.  
  
He nestled back down inside the bush and cursed to himself.  
"I will return Alice, I swear."  



	21. A Suprise Party!!

Chapter 21 - A Surprise party!!  
  
It had been 1 full week since the fountain and cathedral of the Religion of Wonderland had been destroyed. Alice had fully recovered and was once again 3 inches high skipping merrily down the garden path of the fungiferous forest. This was a completely wretched height as she had pointed out to herself many times but this offended many creatures of wonderland. Especially in the garden as they were not much bigger that the size she was now and they were quite happy to live out their lives being this size.  
Alice came across the signpost who stood firmly as always rooted in to the ground his arms draped by his side, his woody eyes and mouth apparently smiling. Alice was never one for guessing the state of mind of wooden people though.  
She approached him and curtseyed. "Good morning." She said.  
"Oh! There you are young miss!" he replied. She judged by his tone that he was in a good mood. "And how are we today? I heard you got quite battered about recently"  
"I'm a lot better now, thank you." Replied Alice. Even though a signpost went nowhere, he sure heard a lot of things. "Is the caterpillar still in this direction?"  
"No!" he replied sternly "The paths are always changing silly! He's down that path now!" and pointed his arm in the totally different direction they were last time. "Why?"  
"I've been told to meet him again, but he didn't say why and the Cat was even more stubborn than usual about it!" She shrugged her shoulders and walked down the path.  
"Oh well." Shouted the signpost in the distance. "Have fun!"  
Alice realised he knew what was going on too.  
"Why would I have fun?" she asked.  
He quickly began to whistle as if acting all innocent. She guessed he would tell her no more and proceeded down the path. The path was a great deal shorter and when she got to the tree and stepped through the portal in the trunk she was greeted with sounds of great merriment as several insects were dancing about in happiness to music which was supplied by some fiddler grasshoppers. The Cheshire cat was stood nearby, his smile was larger than normal that it covered his entire face; he gestured into the mushroom grove towards a table which was beautifully decorated with flowers and paper crowns and was covered in all manner of cakes, foods and more importantly in the centre, a large pot of tea!  
Alice almost jumped with excitement. She rubbed her fingers behind the cats left ear and he purred automatically as he led her down into the grove where she took her place at the table and placed a paper crown over the Cats head which fell down onto his nose and balanced onto his whiskers making her laugh.  
The caterpillar was sitting in his usual leaf but he looked rather ridiculous as he had a pretend handlebar moustache and was also wearing a paper crown. The elder and the Griffon were there too wearing crowns and the griffon had coloured several of his feathers gold and silver in honour of the special occasion. Several chess pieces were in attendance and the White King and Queen had arrived wearing their very best robes and several soldiers from the battle were wearing their dress uniforms of purple and gold. Alice clapped her hands in excitement.  
"Oh I do love a surprise tea party!" she said frantically and reached for the nearest cake.  
"One moment Alice please!" interrupted the caterpillar "I would like to propose a toast please!"  
All of the guests and animals raised their glasses (except the Cat who was frantically trying to untangle his paper crown from his whiskers!)  
  
"I would like to congratulate Alice on collapsing the evil and oppressive religion and freeing the citizens of wonderland from the shackles of oppression once again."  
"To Alice!" The crowd shouted and they all took a drink from their glasses. Alice's face blushed bright red in a combination of embarrassment and pride and raised her shoulders in the adorable way little girls do when people make a large fuss over them.  
"Lets just hope she keeps out of trouble, this time!" shouted Cat who glared his pale yellow eyes at her in an amusing way. The crowd roared with laughter and took one more drink from their glasses. (Except for the king who secretly took two drinks!)  
"Let the celebration begin!" Yelled the White queen and the grasshoppers began to play a merry jig to which everyone began to dance once more.  
Alice joined the dance with the white King who was a little sozzled as he had several glasses of Banderscotch before Alice came up to dance. The circled around the grove in a merry routine similar to a polka in which Alice thoroughly enjoyed and could not stop herself smiling. Nothing could bring her down at this particular moment. But one thing was bothering her, she turned to the King.  
"Your majesty. Some thing is bothering me." She said.  
The Kings expression suddenly drooped along with everyone else's as the music suddenly stopped.  
"What is it my child?" He asked  
Alice Giggled and said "Why don't those miserable rooks of your ever smile!"  
The crowd around them all laughed and even the grasshoppers began to chuckle in hysterics. The king patted Alice on the back.  
"Don't worry Alice! After several bottles of Banderscotch, they'll be smiling more than you feline friend over there!" and every one began to roared with laughter. Even the Cat who had now managed to untangle the hat from his whiskers and was now resting it on a slant over his left ear. The caterpillar was laughing too for the first time Alice had ever noticed and the music carried on as well as the dancing.  
Soon after everyone was helping themselves to various drinks and delectable foods as they were all sat round the diner table, laughing amongst themselves and telling jokes. The king spoke out above the merriment. "I have one for you!" he said.  
The crown hushed in to expectancy and listen to him intently.  
"Why did the seagull cross the road? I tell you."  
There were various murmurs around the table as the guests were trying to guess the answer. But no-one seemed to know the answer to this joke and all stared back at him intently.  
"To catch a bus!" he yelled.  
For a moment the guests seemed totally bewildered, looking at each other in total disbelief. Then a roar of laughter swept across the dinner table as everyone began to laugh in amusement, all except for Alice who didn't see what was funny.  
Wonderland humour was always a harder thing to grasp than any danger she had overcome. She laughed along with the crowds who laughed even harder when the king toppled from his chair in a silly drunken stupor.  
Alice simply smiled, shook her head and poured herself another, well deserved cup of tea and reached for another cake!  
  
The End!.  



	22. Authors notes.

Chapter 22 - Authors notes.  
  
I have included this chapter, not because it is a continuation of the story but because it has several points in it on where I got ideas for some of the characters from and clears a few things up with a few facts.  
---------------------------------------------  
  
C.M Griffiths is my real name! It is not some pen name I invented.   
It stands for Christopher Martin Griffiths  
  
First of all, I created the religion myself an placed the cathedral near the looking glass. There is not religion or cathedral in book or the game.  
  
The character of the signpost I invented after a passing thought. I wanted him to be a little apprehensive and maybe a little short tempered. After all, not many people like or appreciate being rooted to one spot every day for the rest of their lives.  
  
Konchuu was a character I partially adapted from the character of Kai in a sci-fi series which I enjoy "Lexx" He was an assassin who killed for his master with out emotion or mercy. I envisioned him totally different though and did some research into a unique and interesting name.  
The word "Konchuu" means "Insect" in Japanese   
  
I see Christopher as what Alice could have been if there was no fire to begin with. He is innocent to begin with but he has a traumatic experience seeing his friends being killed by the evil hatter. As it is mentioned Christopher was killed by Konchuu and his essence was stolen rather like energy from enemies in the game but he took his soul along with him and he wasn't in control when Alice and Christopher kissed.   
  
---------------------------------------------  
  
  
One final note!  
The joke the king tells at the end of the story is based on an actual event I saw with my girlfriend coming hoe from a night-club (I hear you shouting but I WASN'T drunk!).  
I saw a seagull land in front of me, cross a road and perch itself on the roof of a nearby bus stop and looking around as if he was waiting for a bus. We found it hilarious.  
  
I have ideas for a continuing story so if you would like me to continue writing Alice's adventures in wonderland. Please drop me a line at Aquarius@perfectworld.co.uk  
  



End file.
